Ergonomic Antecedents and Disabling Construction Injuries

The US construction industry comprises 5.4% of annual US employment but accounts for 7.8% of non-fatal occupational injuries. Little is kno-wn about construction injury disability and the contribution of ergonomics-related antecedents. The construction experience (n = 35,790) of a national worker's compensation insurer was analyzed. Disability duration (LOD) was calculated from indemnity payments data. Contributions of ergonomics-related antecedents to the most costly injuries were identified. The most frequent injuries were low back pain (15%), foreign body eye injuries (8.5%), and finger lacerations (4.8%). Back pain also accounted for the greatest percentage of costs (21.3%) and disability days (24.5%). The average LOD for an injured construction worker was 50 days (median = 7 days). Among the 5 most costly injuries, wrist fractures had the longest LOD (mean = 247, median = 38). Ergonomics-related antecedents were typically cited as the injury causing event in 4 of the 5 most costly injuries.