New QDR Shows Sharp Decrease in Employer-Reported Work-Related MSDs

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The new Quarterly Data Report from The Center for Construction Research and Training examines trends in work and non-work related musculoskeletal disorders, the soft-tissue injuries caused by exposure to repetitive or sudden motions, forces and awkward positions. In 2017, the rate of employer-reported, work-related MSDs in construction was 31.2 cases per 10,000 FTEs, less than one-quarter of 1992’s level. However, about 30% of construction workers self-reported they had low-back pain (work- or non-work-related), and that figure has not changed significantly. Moreover, nearly half of construction workers reported they had one or more MSD symptoms, such as neck pain, joint pain and back pain. Older workers were more likely to … Read more

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New Award Recognizes Innovative Safety Interventions

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The new Liberty Mutual Safety Innovation Award in Construction recognizes innovative Evidence-Based technologies, work practices and programs designed to reduce or eliminate construction hazards that lead to injuries and pain in the construction industry. The award is sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance and administered by CPWR. The award was established to: Encourage the development of innovative hazard reduction interventions Educate the construction community about safety and health hazards of national concern and promote widespread use of interventions to address them The winner will receive a $15,000 cash prize and a plaque. In addition, one or more honorable mention awards may … Read more

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5 Ways to Shake Up Your Safety Training

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At 20 years old, Regina McMichael’s husband died after falling off a roof at a jobsite where he was working. That was the day her safety career started. Thirty-three years later she is still focused on making the industry safer by improving the way we teach safety training. She recently shared five key ways to change your safety training to make it more effective. 1) Identify what the learners know and what they need to know “The gap between these two areas is what you teach to,” says McMichael. “Nothing more, nothing less.” She teaches trainers to use the ADDIE … Read more

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Quarterly Data Report Analyzes Construction Falls  

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The new Quarterly Data Report focuses on falls, which remain the most common cause of fatal injuries in the construction industry. In 2017, 389 workers died from falls, 367 from falls to a lower level. Encouragingly, the rate of fatal falls showed signs of decreasing among roofers, the occupation with the highest risk of falls, and among construction laborers, the largest occupation in the industry. Small employers (those with fewer than 20 employees) accounted for 75% of fatal falls between 2015 and 2017, despite making up only 39% of construction payroll employment. The rate of nonfatal falls trended downward between … Read more

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Sheet Metal Workers Take Action to Lessen Suicide Rate among Ranks

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Last November, the CDC released a study showing that from 2012 to 2015, males in construction and extraction workers have the highest rate of suicide in the United States. Categorized in that group are the sheet metal workers which, as an organization, has been focusing on bucking the trend and educating membership through a program aimed at not only challenging trends but decades of stereotypes. The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust, the safety arm of the unionized sheet metal, air conditioning and welding industry, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation workers, took notice of … Read more

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