ABSTRACT
The application of ergonomics in the construction industry is generally more recent and less developed
than in manufacturing and other industries. However, the impact of ergonomics and human factors on
safety and productivity in construction is now receiving significant attention, largely due to concerns
with the incidence and costs of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly of the lower back
and upper extremities. In the United States, such injuries are more common in construction than
any other industry sector except transportation (CPWR, 2002). Many construction tasks involve non-
neutral and static body postures, high force demands, contact stress, and other risk factors such as
vibration and adverse environmental conditions that contribute to acute and chronic musculoskeletal
injuries.
