title: Participatory intervention with objectively measured physical risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in the construction industry: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is high prevalence of back pain and neck-shoulder pain among blue collar workers in Denmark. Excessive physical exposures such as heavy lifting or working with bended or twisted back are risk factors for back pain among workers in the construction industry. Technical evaluation of awkward postures and kinematics of upper/ lower extremities (accelerometry) during work combined with the level of muscular activity (EMG) and video recordings can improve quantification of physical exposure and thereby can facilitate designing preventive strategies. Participatory ergonomics potentially increase the success of interventions aimed at reducing excessive physical exposures. The objectives of this study are to; 1) determine which work-tasks in selected job-groups involve excessive physical load of the back and shoulders during a normal working day (measured with accelerometers, EMG and video recordings). And 2) investigate whether a participatory intervention can reduce the excessive physical workloads, drawing on measurements from phase 1.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-armed parallel-group, single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial with allocation concealment will be conducted in the Danish construction industry. Approximately 20 construction gangs (≈ 80 subjects) will be recruited and randomized at the cluster level (gang). We will record in situ physical workload using technical measurements (EMG, accelerometers and video recordings) during a working day before and after the intervention. Based on these measurements a physical load matrix for each worker will be developed. The participatory intervention consist of three workshops: 1) One at baseline, involving presentation of video clips of the work-tasks with excessive physical load customized for each gang, followed by a participatory development of solutions on how to reduce excessive workloads, leading to development of an action plan on how to implement these solutions at the workplace. 2) A second workshop where the implemented solutions will be further developed and qualitatively evaluated during group discussions. 3) A final workshop at follow-up to enhance long-time organizational sustainability of the implemented solutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results will provide knowledge about the level of physical exposure of the back and shoulders during specific work tasks in the construction industry, and will provide information on options to implement participatory interventions aiming at reducing excessive physical workload.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02498197), registered 29 June 2015.
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. mbp@nrcwe.dk.|Department of Health Science and Technology, Physical Activity and Human Performance group, SMI, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers vej 7, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark. mbp@nrcwe.dk.
authors.forename: Mikkel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science and Technology, Physical Activity and Human Performance group, SMI, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers vej 7, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark. pm@hst.aau.dk.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madeleine
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. jza@nrcwe.dk.
authors.forename: Jeppe Zielinski Nguyen
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Ajslev
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. markusdue@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Markus D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science and Technology, Physical Activity and Human Performance group, SMI, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers vej 7, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark. afsamani@hst.aau.dk.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samani
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. emilsundstrup@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sundstrup
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. pki@nrcwe.dk.
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kines
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Park Allé 105, Copenhagen, Denmark. lla@nrcwe.dk.|Department of Health Science and Technology, Physical Activity and Human Performance group, SMI, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers vej 7, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark. lla@nrcwe.dk.
authors.forename: Lars L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D001415:Back / Q000502:physiology*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012782:Shoulder / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing