Ergonomics, Health, and Safety in Construction: Opportunities for Automation and Robotics

Automation and robotics have often been mentioned as possible solutions to health and safety problems in construction. Several studies have prioritized automation and robotics opportunities based in part on health and safety considerations. These and other studies conclude that automation and robotics will be most cost effective in tasks that require speed, repetitive motions, large forces, and operation in hostile environments. These are precisely the tasks that place craft workers at the highest risk for overexertion injuries and disorders. Overexertion injuries are the single largest classification of injury in construction in the United States, accounting for about 24% of all injuries. Overexertion injuries generally occur as a result of performing a given task as planned. While overexertion injuries are not intentional, the underlying causes of the injuries are built into the prescribed tools and work methods. This paper describes a current research project that will identify specific construction tasks that place craft workers at high risk for overexertion injuries and disorders. High risk tasks can then be targeted so that automation, robotics, and ergonomic principles can be applied to modify the task or work environment to accommodate human capabilities and limitations.