Assessing Low Back Stress in the Construction Industry Using the Continuous Assessment of Back Stress (CABS) Method

Abstract

The construction industry has long been identified as a high risk industry for low back injuries due to the significant amount of manual materials handling and awkward trunk postures associated with many of its jobs. The variable nature of the tasks performed by construction workers expose these workers to risk factors for both acute and cumulative trauma injuries. The aim of this research project was to develop a modeling system that made use of existing assessment tools and probabilistic representations of low back stress. The results of this analysis are distributions of biomechanical stress that provide an appreciation for both the acute and cumulative trauma risks posed by these jobs.