title: Spreading good ideas: a case study of the adoption of an innovation in the construction sector.
abstract: A health and safety association collaborated with two research centres to examine the dissemination of knowledge of an ergonomic intervention by opinion leaders in the construction sector. The intervention was a hydraulic ladder lift that aided with loading and unloading of ladders off van roofs. Thirteen companies, with five to 900 employees, were involved. The van operators informed workmates not employed by their companies but who worked on the same site as them about the intervention. The opinion leaders informed decision makers within their companies which led to commitments to purchase similar units. They also gave presentations at prearranged health and safety meetings, where attendees indicated that they thought the intervention sounded like a good idea. In this way, knowledge of the innovation reached at least 32 more companies and potentially several thousand other employees. The study showed the potential for workplace change to be exponential.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada. dkramer@uwaterloo.ca
authors.forename: Desre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bigelow
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vi
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garritano
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carlan
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003252:Construction Materials; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006804:Ergonomics; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation