CPWR UPDATE
February 2017
From the Desk of Chris Trahan Cain, Executive Director

Construction Workers, Health, and Healthcare  

Access to health care is is critical for construction workers. Our Data Center's recent analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey found that between 2012 and 2014:
  • More than 30% of construction workers lacked health insurance -- even though about half had at least one doctor-diagnosed health condition.
  • While 59% of insured construction workers had a routine medical checkup the previous year, only 22% of uninsured construction workers did.
  • Self-reported physical and mental health worsened after workers reached age 45.
  • Overall, nearly two in three Hispanic construction workers were uninsured.
CLICK HERE to view the CPWR Quarterly Data Report Health, Healthcare, and Medical Expenditures among Construction Workers in its entirety.
Courtesy of NIOSH
TOOLS FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH
NIOSH Noise Sound Level Meter App

Hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States, one especially prevalent in the construction sector. A new, free iPhone App developed by the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) turns your iPhone into a into a sound meter. The NIOSH Sound Level Meter App enables workers and safety personnel to take real-time noise measurements on construction sites -- CLICK HERE to learn more and to download a copy. Then visit CPWR for additional resources to prevent hearing loss! 

RESEARCH NEWS
Retired Construction Workers Benefit from Medical Exam, Follow-Up

In this newly published study, researchers examined medical outcomes among 6857 older construction workers, comparing indicators such as smoking habits, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease risk at an initial intake exam to those at a follow-up exam at least three years later. While there is some debate about the benefit of annual health examinations for the general public, these findings suggest that targeting a high-risk population for periodic examinations with careful follow-up can achieve favorable health impacts. Impact of Secondary Prevention in an Occupational High-Risk Group appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; you can read a summary of the key findings HERE. 

NEWS & EVENTS
Webinars

Wednesday, February 8th @ 1:00pm ET:
How are construction projects insured? Part 1: Large Projects. AIG's Sean Coll presents the second webinar in a series from the NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health, "Insurance and Workers' Compensation for Construction: Untangling the Mysteries." CLICK TO REGISTER

Tuesday, February 28th @ 2:00pm ET: 
Incorporating Informational Technology Into Creating Innovative Construction Products. Incorporating technology (RFID, augmented reality, etc) to create innovative construction safety products can help advance safety and health for construction workers. Join us for this brief webinar to learn about some upcoming innovations in the construction field and how to search for these control options in our free-to-use resource, the CPWR Construction Solutions database website. CLICK TO REGISTER

FSL Webinar on Demand: Did you miss out on our "standing room only" webinar presenting Foundations for Safety Leadership, the new OSHA-30 elective? CLICK HERE to view a recording of this or any of our past CPWR webinars!  
Recent CPWR Studies
T. Michael Toole, John A. Gambatese, and Deborah A. Abowitz, January 2017. Owners' role in facilitating Prevention through Design. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice

Xuanwen Wang, Xiuwen Sue Dong, Sang D Choi, John Dement, December 2016. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers in the United States from 1992 to 2014. Occupational and Environmental Medicine
CPWR in the News
Report: Construction workers remain at high risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Construction Dive, 1/17/2017

Construction workers still at high risk for strains and sprains. Reuters Health News, 1/16/2017

Infection Control Risk Assessment Training (ICRA). The Journeyman Roofer Q4 2016






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