Workers' health surveillance for construction workers.

Background:

Dutch construction workers are offered periodic health examinations. This care can be improved by tailoring this workers health surveillance (WHS) to the demands of the job and adjust the preventive actions to the specific needs of a worker in a particular job. To improve the quality of the WHS for construction workers and stimulate relevant job-specific preventive actions by the occupational physician, we developed a job-specific WHS. The job-specific WHS consists of modules assessing both physical and psychological requirements. The selected measurement instruments are chosen based on their appropriateness to measure the workers' capacity and health requirements. Next to a questionnaire and biometrical tests, also physical performance tests are used to measure physical functional capabilities. We designed a protocol to increase the quality of occupational physician's counselling and stimulate job-specific preventive actions.



Methods/Design:

The present study was designed as a non-randomized trial with a control group and a two to three month follow-up. Bricklayers and supervisors (n=206) in the intervention group are offered a job-specific WHS. All other bricklayers and supervisors in the Netherlands who are offered a WHS as usual, are invited to participate in the control group. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of participants who have undertaken one or more of the preventive actions advised by their occupational physician in the two to three months after attending the WHS. A process evaluation is carried out to evaluate context, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction. The present study is designed according to the TREND Statement.



Conclusion/Discussion:

This study will allow an evaluation of the behaviour of both the workers and occupational physician regarding the preventive actions undertaken by them within the scope of a job-specific WHS.

We hypothesize that the job-specific workers' health surveillance (WHS) increases the preventive actions undertaken by the workers after attending their WHS. Secondary, we hypothesize that based on the job-specific WHS, the occupational physicians advise more preventive actions in total and more job-specific (compared to general health) preventive actions.

1. Baseline;

2. One follow-up two to three months after attendance of the worker at their WHS.

The job-specific WHS consists of three parts which together aim at the detection of signals of work-related health problems, reduced work capacity or reduced work functioning. The worker fills in a questionnaire, then biometry
measurements are carried out by a medical assistant and subsequently physical performance tests are carried out under guidance of an ergonomist. Thereafter, the occupational physician discusses the results with the worker and advises on potential preventive measures.



Bricklayers and construction supervisors in the control group are offered care as usual. They will also fill in the questionnaire after two to three months.