Under the Hard Hat

Author: Jonathan Barnes

  • Health woes plaguing construction workers—and how to prevent them

    Health woes plaguing construction workers—and how to prevent them

    Lung diseases, mental health issues, hearing impairment, and cardiovascular diseases are some of the major health concerns plaguing the construction industry. Increasing worker awareness and providing adequate resources are simple ways to improve the health and well-being of construction workers.

    Worker health should be a priority in the construction industry, but most workers fail to realize where hazards are and how they impact their health and well-being. Although part of the onus is on the workers to protect their health, employers must provide the proper resources and education to protect workers from health hazards.

    Here are some of the biggest health risks in the construction industry and how to protect yourself against them.

    Biggest health risks in the construction industry

    1. Beware of the causes of lung ailments and cancer 

    Construction sites are notorious for dust, vapors, fumes, and gases. Long-term exposure to lung irritants can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and respiratory problems. If not addressed properly, it has the potential to develop into more complicated lung problems and even cancer.

    Silica is another common workplace hazard. Inhaling silica dust from concrete that contains silica can cause silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease that can be fatal. Silica settles in the lungs and causes scar tissue to form, causing lung tissue to become thicker. Exposure to silica also increases the risk of lung cancer.

    Environmental exposure to lung contaminants like silica and asbestos is high in the construction industry, so it’s important for workers and employers to take the necessary steps to lessen workers’ exposure to such toxins and the health risks they bring.

    Asbestos—formerly a common building material found in everything from cement to drywall to pipe insulation and more—brings high risks of mesothelioma and asbestosis. Though the material has been banned from use in buildings for decades, workers today are still repairing and dismantling structures that are tainted with asbestos.

    Invisible-to-the-eye airborne fibers from extant asbestos can cause lung scarring and the aforementioned diseases. Here are a few tips to help reduce your exposure to airborne contaminants:

    • Monitor job sites for the presence of crystalline silica and asbestos. When found, mitigate those hazards before returning to work in that space.
    • Educate workers on when to use respirators or protective barriers to reduce inhaling or spreading pollutants.
    • Enforce the use of barriers and protective enclosures when they are required by conducting regular compliance checks.
    • Mandate regular lung screening of workers. These screenings can detect cancer early and even save someone’s life.
    • Encourage workers to quit smoking and offer resources to help them do it.

    2. To avoid employee hearing problems, run a strict job site

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than half of construction workers exposed to hearing-damaging noise aren’t wearing ear protection. Hearing loss is one of the most common issues among construction workers—here are some numbers to back that up:

    • Roughly 14% of all construction workers have hearing difficulty
    • About 7% of all construction workers have tinnitus
    • Approximately 25% of noise-exposed tested construction workers have a material hearing impairment that interferes with day-to-day activities
    • 16% of noise-exposed tested construction workers have hearing impairment in both ears

    Despite the fact that nearly every aspect of onsite construction involves noise, workers don’t take enough action to protect their hearing.

    Oddly enough, many construction crews insist on more noise—playing loud music on a boombox as they pound nails or work by a loud, dangerous backhoe. By not caring for their own auditory health, they’re setting themselves up for auditory issues down the road.

    To avoid hearing problems, consider the following tips:

    • Educate workers about onsite risks to their hearing health
    • Make hearing protective equipment mandatory on job sites
    • Perform unscheduled compliance checks onsite to ensure workers are following guidelines for hearing safety

    3. Take employees’ mental health seriously—and address mental health as an onsite issue

    Mental health is the leading cause of disability in the workplace, according to the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan. More than 80% of construction workers have had moderate to severe mental health issues.

    Mental health issues continue to be pertinent in the construction sector, which ranks second highest in suicide rates among major industries. Although some problems are pre-existing—90% of construction workers have childhood trauma, and 70% have undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder—providing proper mental health resources is critical to addressing the growing problem.

    Some things to keep in mind include:

    • Encourage workers to speak up. While most people don’t like talking about their feelings, offering workers resources to do so may offer support to do so. 
    • Make mental health a subject of safety meetings.
    • Implement random drug testing to ensure workers are complying with a substance-free workplace. 
    • Respect everyone, regardless of their rank.

    4. Ignoring cardiovascular issues and heart health in workers could mean sudden death—remind them to be proactive

    Small dietary and lifestyle changes can make a big impact when it comes to improving cardiovascular health—encourage them. 

    According to the American Heart Association, roughly 1 in 25 construction workers have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. A 2012 study also found that 81% of construction workers had hypertension (high blood pressure) compared to just 32% of the general population. 

    Construction work is stressful on the mind and body. Constant noise, exposure to environmental pollutants, and chronic stress can quickly damage health if the appropriate steps aren’t taken. Caring for your mental and physical health is critical to maintaining health and well-being. 

    Here are some tips to support heart health:

    • Provide access to appropriate resources for mental and physical health
    • Monitor workers’ behavior and interactions to mitigate conflict that could lead to higher stress levels
    • Implement a morning wellness routine—begin each day with simple stretching exercises to avoid workplace injuries
    • Encourage regular physical activity among workers
    • Advocate for regular physicals and checkups to ensure optimal cardiovascular health

    Keeping workers healthy means keeping construction projects on deadline and with fewer safety incidents. It also means keeping a happier work crew, undeterred by the unexpected illness or death of a co-worker. At the end of the day, it’s about keeping everyone safe.

    5. Musculoskeletal issues can take a worker off the job

    Repetitive and jarring movements, often using heavy power equipment, are part and parcel of being in the construction industry. While there are ways to avoid issues, there’s no denying it can be hard on the musculoskeletal system and increases the risk of issues in the wrists, shoulders, knees, and back. 

    Some of the most common musculoskeletal problems in the construction industry include: 

    • Carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand and wrist
    • Lower back pain
    • Tendinitis in the shoulders and arms
    • Knee problems including pain, loss of mobility and loss of flexibility
    • Neck problems

    According to the Laborer’s Health and Safety Fund of North America, lower back pain is a major cause of lost work time and disability. It usually results from tasks requiring force, such as lifting. Prolonged repetitive motions in awkward positions, such as tying rebar, can also cause it. The pain can be as simple as a dull, constantly burning ache or a sharp sensation radiating in the legs.

    Here are some tips to help you maintain or improve your musculoskeletal health and avoid work-related issues:

    • Stretch and warm up your muscles before starting work
    • Management should encourage workers with musculoskeletal problems to seek treatment and rehabilitation immediately
    • Workers should be educated on the proper way to lift heavy objects to avoid injury
    • Ensure you have properly fitting footwear for optimal knee and foot strength and support
    • Maintain a healthy weight to avoid additional stress on joints
    • Increase support for susceptible areas to avoid further injury
    • Safety meetings should include tips on how to avoid or basic steps to treat musculoskeletal problems
    • Workers should be allowed time off when needed to treat these health issues

    Creating and maintaining a safe and healthy construction workspace is a team effort. It involves workers taking an interest in maintaining their health and performing tasks in ways least damaging their health, while management provides adequate resources to keep workers safe and injury-free.

  • Infrastructure upgrades must be addressed

    Infrastructure upgrades must be addressed

    U.S. infrastructure is in deplorable shape. While a bi-partisan Infrastructure Plan was passed and touted as the genesis of 10 million expected jobs, it’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of fixing the nation’s infrastructure.

    Broken byways bedevil U.S.

    U.S. infrastructure is in bad shape, and while the Infrastructure Plan will help, it’s just a start. Technological tools play a pivotal role in transforming the problem of failing infrastructure into an opportunity to advance construction methods, designs, and technology.

    The extent of the problem: The American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure an overall grade of C- in 2021, a slight upgrade from a D+ in 2017. Among the 17 types of infrastructure rated, 11 received a D rating.

    According to the Staista Research Department, dams were the type of U.S. infrastructure with the oldest average age as of 2022, at an average of 58 years old. The average age of rails was 28 years old. Additionally, heavy use has left 43% of public roads in poor or mediocre condition.

    In 2023, American infrastructure had a funding gap of $2.6 trillion, and experts warn that the U.S. could lose $10 trillion by 2039 due to underspending on infrastructure.

    Tech tools provide infrastructure solutions

    “Technology must play a pivotal role in addressing the challenges of infrastructure replacement and remediation,” said Andrea Paglialunga, business development manager for Geomap. “LiDAR, drones, and structural health monitoring systems enable comprehensive and non-invasive inspections of bridges and roads. These technologies can gather detailed data on structural integrity, corrosion, and deformation, facilitating early detection of potential issues.” 

    She went on to say, “They represent a crucial and mandatory step in analyzing the status and scheduling maintenance and interventions. Additionally, Building Information Modeling (BIM) facilitates collaborative design and construction processes, enhancing the accuracy of infrastructure projects.”

    The industry also needs to embrace using predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms, Paglialunga said.“They can analyze vast amounts of data to forecast infrastructure degradation and optimize maintenance schedules, ensuring proactive and cost-effective asset management.”

    Facility management tools also play a crucial part in infrastructure repair and replacement by collecting and effectively managing information.

    “In Europe, governments, industry stakeholders, and research institutions are investing in innovative solutions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of transportation networks,” said Paglialunga. “Several European countries are implementing smart infrastructure initiatives that integrate sensor networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to monitor bridge and road conditions in real-time. And there is a growing emphasis on adopting digital twins, virtual replicas of physical assets, to simulate performance scenarios and inform decision-making processes.”

    Ray Steeb, president and CEO of eFacility, said digital twins are part of the solution to fixing the nation’s infrastructure. Digitizing the nation’s infrastructure, though, is a huge task related to infrastructure improvement.

    “Part of the problem is that whenever you go survey something, you need to know what was there originally to compare. Unless there’s something to compare the inspection to, it doesn’t mean anything,” Steeb said.

    Governments are making strides to tackle this problem, but not big enough.

    ”Sometimes there has to be a budget for it, and a perceived need… Like Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority being mandated to improve their infrastructure,” Steeb said. “There’s no real return on that investment, immediately. If you don’t have an economic reason to do it, then why would someone do it?”

    This raises the question of how to move the needle even more on infrastructure work. And where might local, state, and even regional government cooperation perhaps save money and get more infrastructure project work completed?

  • Is your hard hat a relic?

    Is your hard hat a relic?

    Hard hats are an important piece of personal protective equipment (PPE)—but they don’t last forever. If your hard hat is more than about five years old, it probably needs to be replaced. 

    Check your hard hat expiration date 

    Hard hat manufacturers print a manufacture date on the inside of the hard hat brim. If you must wear a hard hat on the job, you should check the manufacture date and its usable lifespan. 

    With hard hats, the expiration date is usually two years to five years after the date it was manufactured. 

    • The hat’s expiration date varies widely, depending upon the manufacturer and the hard hat model
    • Assuming your hard hat is good to use for up to five years because some hard hats are good that long is a big mistake

    Even if a hat appears to be unflawed and undamaged, you cannot eyeball a hard hat and know whether or not it’s still safe to use for protection (providing it has no noticeable flaws and is within its usable period, that is) while disregarding its expiration date. 

    Remember: This date isn’t negotiable—you cannot put off getting a new hard hat if it’s out of date simply because you only wear the hat occasionally and think it should last longer. The hard hat materials slowly break down and lose their effectiveness over time, so the expiration date is firm. 

    Don’t use an expired hard hat

    Never use a hard hat that’s past its expiration date—this provides a false sense of security. 

    The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that all hard hats be replaced no more than five years after their manufacture date. 

    Don’t use a damaged hard hat

    Regularly inspecting your hard hat for damage is also critical. Construction sites are hazardous, and your hat may have endured damage during your workweek. 

    Ideally, you should inspect your hard hat daily—but certainly, no less frequently than once per week.  

    • Check the hard hat for dents, fractures, and other types of damage, including scuff marks
    • Inspect the suspension system—the web of plastic, leather, or fiber cloth that acts as the interior of the hat “shell” and sits on your head—for damage or stretching 

    In cases where your hard hat seems iffy due to damage or a lifespan beyond the manufacturer’s recommendations, replace it with a new one. 

    Clean your hard hat regularly

    Remove dirt and other corrosive agents from the exterior surface by washing with soap and water. 

    Be sure to store your hard hat in a cool, dry place to ensure that it remains as durable and protective as it was intended to be; heat can damage a hard hat’s material makeup and, thus, decrease its protective abilities.  

    Hard hat maintenance tips 

    Here’s a summary of some of our best tips to keep your hard hat in optimal condition: 

    • Inspect your hard hat daily: Check for signs of damage to the interior and exterior. A hard hat shell that is cracked or damaged is unsafe to use. Replace it immediately. 
    • Check the hard hat’s suspension: If the suspension is loose, misshapen, or ill-fitting, the hat should be replaced. Even if the suspension appears in good shape, it may need to be replaced if it’s past the expiration date.
    • Consider using disposable hard hat liners: Under some weather conditions, using disposable hard hat liners could be a lifesaver. Liners absorb sweat from your head and prevent the hat from becoming loose and ill-fitting.
    • Try no sweat liners: No Sweat hard hat liners soak up sweat and work with bump caps, too. These disposable inserts are easy to install, stick to the hard hat, and help prevent the need to constantly wipe sweat from your face. Hard hat liners can be used for one work period, and some even up to two weeks. 
    • Check the standards for your specific hard hat: Standards vary by hard hat. Always check the standards and do not use the hard hat in a way that will exceed the recommended standards of use. It will compromise its integrity and decrease the protective abilities of the hard hat.