The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction
Publications / 2011 Proceedings of the 28th ISARC, Seoul, Korea
Sensing Construction Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs)
Much of the developed worlds construction workforce is increasing in average age, and yet construction workers typically retire well before they reach the age of sixty. One reason is that their bodies are worn out because of the nature of the work. We therefore face the challenge of both reducing their physical stress and increasing their productive work life, if we wish to avert an economic and social crunch given the demographic trends towards an aging population in most developed countries. In particular, recent statistics from the U.S Department of labor show that 6.9% of all Work- related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) among workers in 2008 affected shoulders; this percentage becomes much larger for electricians, carpenters, and related construction crafts. The cost to our industry and to society is huge, and it is unnecessary. Reduction of certain types of movements and improvements in posture can result in reduced rates of shoulder WMSDs and in extended work lives. This can be done with a combination of robotics, work re-design, and work monitoring. This paper provides the statistical background and economic analysis that supports the scope of the problem, presents background on the kinematics of shoulder movement, and explains the biomechanics and causes of shoulder injuries. Then, preliminary results are presented for a prototype of a simple, low-cost, sensing solution for automatically monitoring undesirable movements and patterns of motion. It is expected that this could be broadly implemented to help reduce Construction Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs).