Study of safety data sheets finds inaccuracies
When it comes to accurately listing engineered nanomaterial composition, a majority of safety data sheets for construction materials need improvement, according to a study conducted by CPWR–The Center for Construction Research and Training.
A team led by researchers studied 33 safety data sheets and product data from “a public database of nano-enabled construction products.” The researchers then sought to confirm the composition of nanoparticles–which are potentially hazardous to human health–in construction materials using an electron microscope.
Their analysis “revealed several discrepancies between the actual product composition and what was listed in the safety data sheets.” Seventy percent of the safety data sheets were deemed “in need of significant improvement,” and another 12% “were in need of improvement.”
Currently, more than 50 kinds of engineered nanomaterials are used in construction products.
“There has been significant progress investigating risks to construction workers posed by engineered nanomaterials, but safety data sheets need major improvements,” the researchers say.
The study was published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
Study about construction worker overdoses is released
Physically demanding jobs such as those in the construction industry have higher proportions of synthetic opioid overdose deaths involving psychostimulants such as methamphetamines or cocaine, according to a National Institutes of Health study.
Researchers looked at 2022 mortality data for U.S. residents ages 15-64 in the National Vital Statistics System. Of the nearly 70,000 fatal synthetic opioid overdoses identified, 53.6% involved stimulants. Workers in construction and extraction jobs made up more than 11,800 of the deaths, and more than 55% of the deaths involved psychostimulants.
“One potential explanation for these patterns is that psychostimulants are better suited for counteracting opioid-involved lethargy in physically demanding occupations,” the researchers say. “Previous studies have observed that people who use opioids report intentional co-use of methamphetamine to improve functioning in their fast-paced, manual occupations. Similarly, workers in construction and landscaping jobs report using methamphetamine to reduce pain associated with working in these labor-intensive jobs.”
The study was published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Researchers develop guidelines for pre-task planning
Researchers from CPWR–The Center for Construction Research and Training have developed comprehensive guidelines intended to make pre-task planning more effective and consistent, according to Safety+Health magazine.
To address the lack of guidance for the design and implementation of pre-task planning in the construction industry, the researchers interviewed 28 safety and health professionals and 104 workers. They also observed seven on-site pre-task planning sessions.
The team identified inconsistent terminology and implementation practices, which can result in worker confusion, unaddressed hazards and conflicts between trades.
The researchers then developed what they say is a practical, easy-to-use checklist tool to help contractors assess and consistently approve pre-task planning processes. They note regular updates and continuous improvement—including a feedback loop—can help accurately reflect job-site conditions.
Other recommendations include:
- Implementing visual aids; discussing real-life incidents; and providing information about tools, materials and schedules to enhance pre-task planning quality and prevent worker complacency.
- Actively soliciting and incorporating worker feedback, allowing employees to lead pre-task planning meetings, and involving workers in the development and implementation phases.
- Including a crew’s immediate tasks in addition to other trades’ scopes, potential clashes and hazards their activities pose.
- Ensuring proper completion, assessing whether controls functioned as expected, discussing changes and hazards that emerged during a shift, and conducting post-task debriefing sessions.
The study was published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
