Development of the fall prevention index on the movable scaffold for construction workers

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Min, Seung-Nam^a | Subramaniyam, Murali^b | Park, Se Jin^c | Lee, Kyung-Sun^{d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Drone and Industrial Safety Engineering, Shinsung University, Dangjin-si, Republic of Korea | [b] Department of Mechanical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India | [c] Division of Convergence Technology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, Republic of Korea | [d] Department of Industrial Health, Catholic University of Pusan, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Kyung-Sun Lee, Department of Industrial Health, Catholic University of Pusan, 46252, 57 Oryundae-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 10 9461 3805; E-mail: kyungsunlee81@gmail.com.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Falls are caused by difficulties in maintaining stable posture or center of pressure (COP). Studies on construction-related falls and their prevention are limited OBJECTIVE:To propose a fall prevention index (FPI) based on the working environment at height (with or without a handrail) and experience of workers on movable scaffolds. METHODS:Thirty participants were enrolled, and their COP distances were measured at the time of falling in the anterior-posterior (AP), mediolateral (ML), and diagonal directions. RESULTS:The probability of falling in the diagonal direction is almost zero for workers with more than 20 years of experience and that in the AP direction is almost zero for workers with up to 30 years of experience. There was almost zero probability of falling in the ML direction for workers with >15 years of experience. This index can be used as a tool for predicting the risk of falls, screening workers, and implementing proactive measures to prevent falling accidents on work sites. CONCLUSIONS:Preventing falls from movable scaffolds (and height in general) is needed in the construction industry. We propose a fall prevention index based on the working environment (at height, with or without handrail) and experience of workers on movable scaffolds.

Keywords: Center of pressure, fall accident, construction industry, falling limit point

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-193070

Journal: Work, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 167-173, 2020