Designing for construction ergonomics in Slovenia

Relative to other industries worldwide, the construction process generates a disproportionate number of fatalities, injuries, and disease, and both the direct and indirect costs contribute to the cumulative cost of construction. Designers influence construction ergonomics directly and indirectly. The direct influence is because of design, details and method of fixing, and depending upon the type of procurement system, supervisory and administrative interventions. The indirect influence is because of the type of procurement system used, pre-qualification, project duration, partnering, and the facilitating of pre-planning. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of a study conducted among designers in Slovenia using a self-administered questionnaire, to determine their perceptions and practices relative to construction ergonomics. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and a measure of central tendency were computed from the collected data. The following constitute the salient findings. Cost, quality, and time are more important to designers than construction ergonomics and project health and safety (H&S). Ergonomics during the construction, and design phases are more important to designers than the other phases. A range of design related aspects impact on construction ergonomics. To a degree, construction ergonomics is considered on most design, procurement, and construction occasions by designers. Practice notes predominate in terms of how designers’ ergonomics knowledge was acquired. A range of aspects have the potential to contribute to an improvement in knowledge, and the application of construction ergonomics. The paper concludes that designers contribute to construction ergonomics, but that there is potential for and a clear need for enhanced contributions. Recommendations include the inclusion of construction ergonomics in designers’ tertiary education, and continuing professional development (CPD), to remedy shortcomings in practitioners’ knowledge. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Diamond Congress Ltd., Budapest University of Technology and Economics Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2018.