Musculoskeletal disorders cost construction £646m a year, say big contractors

Image: Dreamstime/Chrischrisw

The construction industry has one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders of an industry, as the toll taken by physically demanding tasks on workers adds up to an annual bill of £646m.

That’s according to a report from the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) followed a roundtable meeting of industry leaders, sponsored by VolkerWessels UK, BAM Nuttall, Mace and Multiplex Europe.

The report concluded that all employers need:

• a musculoskeletal disorders action plan, developing awareness of bone, joint and muscle problems beyond just manual handling;
• awareness of musculoskeletal disorders and to encourage open conversations and support when employees are struggling;
• routine monitoring of employee musculoskeletal health and wellbeing.

It called for better prevention through proactivity and understanding people’s motivations to change behaviours. It also highlighted how early support helps bone, joint or muscle disorders but people need to first feel comfortable talking about them, rather than fearing openness as a sign of weakness or opening the way to loss of their jobs.