Background
Objectives
Methods
Study design
Setting
Participants
Participant characteristics | Total data | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of participants | 481 | ||||
profession(N) | |||||
Bricklayer’s laborersβ
| 23 | ||||
Bricklayer | 80 | ||||
Concrete workers | 155 | ||||
Scaffolders | 63 | ||||
Carpenters | 160 | ||||
Age (Mean years (SD)) | 39,9 (12.5) | ||||
BMI (Mean kg/m2 (SD)) | 26.2 (3.6) | ||||
Smokers (%) | 177 (38%) | ||||
Depression(%) | 31 (6.8%) | ||||
Item 1 | Item 2 | ||||
In your opinion, who has the main responsibility for the physical exertion you undertake during work?
|
Do you have the opportunity to reduce the physical strain you experience during work?
|
N = 472 | |||
My-self | 312 (65%) | in a very high/high extent | 64 (14%) | ||
My colleagues | 29 (6%) | to some extent | 260 (55%) | ||
My employer | 190 (40%) | in a poor/very poor extent | 148(31%) | ||
Building material producers/suppliers | 55 (11%) | ||||
The construction industry in general | 168 (35%) | ||||
Item 4 | |||||
1: How do you think your management will perceive the following?
| positive reception | of no consequence | negative reception | total | |
N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N | ||
that someone lowers work pace to better take care of their body | 75 (16%) | 151 (31%) | 237 (49%) | 463 | |
that someone turns in sick because of pains or soreness | 81(17%) | 194 (40%) | 185 (39%) | 463 | |
that someone complains about the physical strain in work | 88 (18%) | 185 (39%) | 186 (39%) | 459 | |
that someone will only work if the appropriate technical assistive devices are present | 94 (20%) | 135 (28%) | 239 (48%) | 459 | |
2: How do you think your colleagues will perceive the following?
| positive reception | of no consequence | negative reception | ||
N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N | ||
that someone lowers work pace to better take care of their body | 116 (24%) | 188 (39%) | 161 (33%) | 465 | |
that someone turns in sick because of pains or soreness | 120 (25%) | 237 (49%) | 104 (22%) | 461 | |
that someone complains about the physical strain in work | 136 (28%) | 229 (48%) | 97 (20%) | 462 | |
that someone will only work if the appropriate technical assistive devices are present | 167 (35%) | 171 (36%) | 118 (25%) | 456 | |
3. How would you yourself perceive the following?
| positive reception | of no consequence | negative reception | ||
N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N | ||
that someone lowers work pace to better take care of their body | 226 (47%) | 150 (31%) | 85 (18%) | 461 | |
that someone turns in sick because of pains or soreness | 215 (45%) | 186 (39%) | 61 (13%) | 463 | |
that someone complains about the physical strain in work | 245 (51%) | 157 (33%) | 61 (13%) | 463 | |
that someone will only work if the appropriate technical assistive devices are present | 262 (55%) | 135 (28%) | 64 (14%) | 461 |
Variables
Predictors: room for agency
Item 1: responsibility for physical strain
Item 2: opportunity to lessen physical strain
Item 3: How to reduce physical strain
How can the physical strain, you experience in work, be reduced? | N |
---|---|
More/better assistive devices | 140 |
Staying at home/no clue/it can’t be done | 53 |
Better planning/projecting/worker influence | 33 |
Lighter, easier handled materials | 30 |
More use or availability of crane | 24 |
Helping each other more | 19 |
Better timeframes/more time/less stress and time pressure | 18 |
Better lifting technique/taking care while lifting | 16 |
Better usage of assistive devices | 16 |
Stricter demands from work authority | 7b
|
Forbidding piece rates/better prices so we don’t work so hard | 6 |
Reduced working hours | 3 |
Learning to say no to too hard tasks | 3 |
Item 4: Expected reactions to alternative practice
Physical Exertion (scale 0-11) | Bodily Fatigue (scale 0-10) | Mental Fatigue (scale 0-10) | Low Back Pain (scale 0-10) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Managers |
Neutral (reference)
|
5.97 (5.41–6.53)
|
5.14 (4.65–5.62)
|
3.50 (2.87–4.13)
|
3.68 (2.91–4.45)
|
Negative |
0.62 (0.14–1.09)
|
0.63 (0.22–1.04)
|
0.60 (0.07–1.12)
|
0.79 (0.13–1.46)
| |
Positive |
-0.99 (-1.65 - -0.33)
| -0.19 (-0.75–0.38) | -0.18 (-0.90–0.54) | -0.12 (-1.02–0.78) | |
Work Gang |
Neutral (reference)
|
5.78 (5.22–6.34)
|
5.12 (4.63–5.6)
|
3.84 (3.21–4.46)
|
3.74 (2.96–4.52)
|
Negative | 0.12 (-0.43–0.68) |
0.55 (0.07–1.02)
| -0.22 (-0.84–0.39) | 0.47 (-0.31–1.25) | |
Positive | 0.08 (-0.47–0.63) | -0.05 (-0.51–0.42) | -0.37 (-0.97–0.23) | 0.01 (-0.74–0.77) | |
Individual Worker |
Neutral (reference)
|
5.78 (5.23–6.34)
|
5.13 (4.64–5.61)
|
3.51 (2.89–4.13)
|
3.60 (2.82–4.37)
|
Negative | -0.07 (-0.78–0.65) | 0.32 (-0.29–0.93) | 0.10 (-0.68–0.88) | 0.35 (-0.64–1.34) | |
Positive | 0.25 (-0.23–0.73) | 0.16 (-0.25–0.57) | 0.29 (-0.25–0.82) | 0.58 (-0.11–1.26) |