October, being international ergonomics month, is a time when we pause and consider how ergonomics can contribute to improving working conditions, preserve worker health and safety, while also boosting productivity and quality of work across all industries. During this time, I think it is prudent to consider if implementing ergonomics can contribute, alongside existing industry wide and organisation-specific efforts, to building a safer and more efficient construction industry in South Africa. 

What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics, sometimes also called human factors, is a scientific discipline that is concerned with improving working conditions by designing systems, tools, workstations, work processes and procedures, and equipment in a way that makes it easier, more efficient and safer for workers to use. Although ergonomics is not widely understood or implemented in the South African construction industry, it is more widely implemented in the developed nations and in some sectors in South Africa.

What could go wrong if ergonomics is not implemented in the construction industry?

The construction industry is notorious for being manual labour intensive, where physical ergonomic risks abound and high rates of injuries and accidents are reported. This includes ergonomics related risk factors such as awkward postures, the handling of heavy loads and equipment, highly repetitive tasks, high worker turnover, and high pressure to meet work demands and deadlines. It is thus no wonder that prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain (78% for upper back pain and 66% for lower back pain) were reported by South African construction workers in a study done by Smallwood, Wheeler and Venter in 2018. This is consistent with construction industries around the world where musculoskeletal injuries and disorders are one of the leading causes of compensable occupational injuries. While the true extent of the problems caused by ergonomics deficiencies will require industry-wide research to be conducted, it is clear that ergonomics related risks are prevalent and are currently costing the South African construction industry in terms of worker health, compromised safety of operations, and the cost of doing business. In a lot of cases, these ergonomics related risks are currently not being comprehensively identified and managed. Consequently, the challenges that currently plague the construction industry will likely persist, unless targeted interventions are implemented.

What could go right if ergonomics is implemented in the construction industry?

Ergonomics has been successfully implemented in a variety of working environments, globally, for decades. Case studies have demonstrated how organisational goals related to health, safety and productivity were attained by directly reducing ergonomics related risks in different industries, including highly complex, high pressure and safety critical working environments. Through designing work environments and work to match the needs, capabilities and limitations of workers, and implementing organisation-wide ergonomics programs, substantial improvements have been found, including those reported in the following areas (based on 114 ergonomic program case studies in manufacturing, healthcare and other industries; Goggins, Spielholz and Nothstein, 2008):

• 57% reduction in the number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (such as back pain)
• 72% reduction in lost work days due to work related musculoskeletal disorders
• 67% reduction in worker compensation costs for work related musculoskeletal disorders
• 32% reduction in the costs per claim for work related musculoskeletal disorders
• 46% improvement in productivity

Is the construction industry legally required to implement ergonomics? 

Given the tight profit margins in a lot of construction projects, interventions that can reduce the cost of doing business while also ensuring safe operations are critical. However, beyond improving profit margins, construction organisations are legally mandated to implement ergonomics through the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, the Construction Regulations of 2014, and the Ergonomics Regulations of 2019. Combined, these different legislative requirements, and other related labour and employment legislation, requires construction organisations to implement ergonomics throughout the work system and life cycle of the organisation. This will require the integration of ergonomics in all aspects of the organisation and will have implications for the way that work is designed and performed. It will furthermore have implications for how workers are managed and protected from ergonomic risks in construction workplaces. At a minimum, this will entail building on existing organismal systems and incorporating the following:

• Identification and management of ergonomic risks by competent persons as envisaged in the Ergonomics Regulations
• Education and training on ergonomic risks that workers are exposed to ergonomic risks
• Implementation of controls to manage ergonomic risks and the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the controls
• Medical surveillance of worker health effects from exposure to ergonomic risks

While the enforcement of these legislated ergonomics requirements is currently lower than the demand for safety oversight from relevant authorities, construction injuries and accidents continue to remain high. This suggests that the extent to which ergonomics is currently being implemented in the South African construction industry is arguably low. Industry-wide awareness of ergonomics, which is in its developmental stages in the South African construction industry, is part of the solution to this challenge. More research identifying and quantifying some of the risks in the industry is also required across the industry. The results from this kind of research can be used to formulate empirically grounded guidelines to support the industry to better manage ergonomic risks. This will only be possible if all the relevant stakeholders, including construction organizations, unions, state departments, academic institutions, professionals from cognate disciplines (e.g. health and safety, risk, engineering, human resources etc.) and ergonomics professionals work collaboratively.

Ergonomics will not be a silver bullet that will address all the challenges faced by the South African construction industry. However, based on the successes from other industries facing similar challenges to those in the construction industry, the potential for construction businesses to improve safety, become more efficient and reduce the cost of doing business is high.

Sma Ngcamu-Tukulula | Ergonomics specialist at Smart Ergonomics