James Platner, PhD, CIH CPWR
Ph: 301-578-8500 ext.8501
Email: jplatner@cpwr.com
Abstract:
Dissemination of Practical Construction Workplace Solutions. ConstructionSolutions is a web-accessible database of hazard and control options organized by construction activity and task. Knowledge of the hazard alone is necessary but insufficient to drive implementation on the work site. A significant barrier to employer decision making remains the contractors' inability to identify specific appropriate control options, where to buy them, and relative costs or return on investment. Initially, Construction Solutions has focused on musculoskeletal disease solutions; which we will continue while expanding fall prevention and industrial hygiene controls for dust/silica and welding fumes.
While ConstructionSolutions is still in development, it receives in excess of 4,000 hits per month and has an average view time of nearly five minutes. CPWR hopes to expand this usage by restructuring a partner web site, the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH.org) and linking documents which may be able to facilitate implementation of interventions to the Construction Solutions database.
The return on investment (ROI) or cost and changes in productivity associated with some control options are noted as an important barrier to adoption of injury prevention interventions. A publicly accessible ROI calculator appropriate for construction, developed in 2009, will be field tested and evaluated.
User characteristics, intended use, downloads, links and page traffic will allow CPWR to continuously improve the ConstructionSolutions database and better understand patterns of usage. WebTrends and Omniture tracking software will be combined with user surveys to guide improvement and track dissemination. The effectiveness of link formats and search phrases will also be evaluated.
