[Occupational medicine insight into the problem of occupational stress in the construction industry]

According to the present study, in addition to the high accident rate, work in the building trade is characterized by intense muscle strain and constrained physical posture. In bricklaying, for example, a worker moves by hand up to seven tons of stone per shift. Consequently, various health complaints occur far more frequently in this occupation than in the other occupational groups, for instance, back complaints (71%), severe fatigue (58%), pain in the arms and hands (42%), headache (40%) and leg pain (34%). The most complained of factors include effects of the weather (74%), draft (50%), noise (55%), air pollution via dust (53%), skin contact with dirt and harmful substances (47%), moving heavy objects by hand (53%), adverse posture during work (47%), and a high risk of accidents (47%). Besides technical and organizational measures, the prevention of health impairments in employees in the building trade should be promoted by purposive care by works services of occupational medicine.