title: Exploring physical exposures and identifying high-risk work tasks within the floor layer trade.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Floor layers have high rates of musculoskeletal disorders yet few studies have examined their work exposures. This study used observational methods to describe physical exposures within floor laying tasks.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 45 videos from 32 floor layers using Multimedia-Video Task Analysis software to determine the time in task, forces, postures, and repetitive hand movements for installation of four common flooring materials. We used the WISHA checklists to define exposure thresholds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most workers (91%) met the caution threshold for one or more exposures. Workers showed high exposures in multiple body parts with variability in exposures across tasks and for different materials. Prolonged exposures were seen for kneeling, poor neck and low back postures, and intermittent but frequent hand grip forces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Floor layers experience prolonged awkward postures and high force physical exposures in multiple body parts, which probably contribute to their high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGaha
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Université de Versailles St-Quentin - Inserm, UMRS 1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Population-Based Epidemiological Cohorts Research Platform, Occupational health Unit, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Descatha
authors.affiliation: The Center for Construction Research and Training CPWR, 8484 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Ave, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Evanoff
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. Electronic address: adale@dom.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D060389:Construction Industry; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Construction trades; Musculoskeletal disorders; Observational assessment