Information on this page is drawn from "Masonry Industry" published by Department of Labor and Industries
Bricklayers (block)
Summary of hazardous activities and solutions.
Hazardous Activity: Saw cutting of block
(Solution: adjust saw height, rotate to other tasks)
Saw Cutting of Block
Hazardous Activity:
Workers doing extensive amounts of cutting can be exposed to too many hours of back and/or neck bending forward:
(Back bent: > 30 degrees for over 4 hrs per day; or > 45 degrees for over 2 hrs per day)
(Neck bent: > 45 degrees for over 4 hrs per day)
Solution:
Adjusting the saw height to better accommodate the workers' heights would reduce the bending below the hazardous level.
Laying 8" Block
Hazardous Activity:
Heavy blocks (35 lb) are routinely lifted, held, and placed with a one-hand pinch grip.
Solution:
Placing blocks with two hands (above waist height), buttering the block on leg or mud board, and job rotation to non-laying tasks, would reduce the duration of grip force to lower levels.
Hazardous Activity:
Heavy blocks are routinely lifted over the top of vertical rebar.
Solution:
Using two hands to support the block would reduce the hazardous exposure
Optional Good Ideas:
- Use open end units
- Use continuous scaffolding (to reduce the need to lift over the rebar)
Laying 12" Block
Hazardous Activity:
Heavy blocks (50 lb) are routinely lifted, held, and placed by a single worker with one hand pinch grip.
Solution:
Placing blocks with two workers, using two hands (above waist height), buttering the block on leg or mud board, and job rotation to non-laying tasks, would reduce the duration of grip force to lower levels.
Optional Good Ideas:
- Set mortar on trowel by tapping trowel (not by flicking trowel in the air)
- Timing: Helper should rest block on leg - while waiting for mason to set prior unit (minimize time held against leg by not lifting block until mason is ready) (Or do other tasks - for example, striking)
Hazardous Activity:
Heavy blocks are routinely lifted over the top of vertical rebar.
Solution:
Using two hands to support the block would reduce the hazardous exposure
Optional Good Ideas:
- Use open end units
- Use continuous scaffolding (to reduce the need to lift over the rebar)
Striking, Cleaning, Wiping
Hazardous Activity:
Workers performing routine striking/jointing, cleaning, wiping, tasks can be exposed to too many hours per day of highly repetitive wrist motions of the tool hand:
(> 6 hrs per day with bent wrist only) (no high hand force)
(> 2 hrs per day with bent wrist and high hand force (> 10 lbs per hand) )
Solution:
Rotating between laying, striking/jointing, cleaning, wiping, (as is often done) would reduce the repetitive motion duration for the striking, cleaning, wiping, activities below the hazardous level:
Optional Good Ideas:
- Teach/use low strain tool handling techniques (low force, where possible)
(wrist relatively straight, where possible) - Use tools with other hand part of the time
Bricklayers (brick)
Summary of hazardous activities and solutions.
Hazardous Activity: Saw cutting of brick
(Solution: adjust saw height, rotate to other tasks)
Saw Cutting of Brick
Hazardous Activity:
Workers doing extensive amounts of cutting can be exposed to too many hours of back and/or neck bending forward:
(Back bent: > 30 degrees for over 4 hrs per day; or > 45 degrees for over 2 hrs per day)
(Neck bent: > 45 degrees for over 4 hrs per day)
Solution:
Adjusting the saw height to better accommodate the workers' heights, and stocking bricks up off the ground, would reduce the bending below the hazardous level.
Repetitive Brick Laying
Hazardous Activity:
A trowel is routinely used in a highly repetitive manner to butter bricks while brick laying. Highly repetitive motion time for the trowel hand can exceed 6 hrs per day.
Solution:
Rotating between laying, striking/jointing, cleaning, wiping, would reduce the repetitive motion below the hazard level.
Striking, Cleaning, Wiping
Hazardous Activity:
Workers performing routine striking/jointing, cleaning, wiping tasks can be exposed to too many hours per day of highly repetitive motions of the tool hand:
(> 6 hrs per day with bent wrist only) (no high hand force)
(> 2 hrs per day with bent wrist and high hand force (> 10 lbs per hand) )
Solution:
Rotating between laying, striking/jointing, cleaning, wiping, (as is often done) would reduce the repetitive motion below the hazard level.
Optional Good Ideas:
- Teach/use low strain tool handling techniques (low force, where possible)
(wrist relatively straight, where possible) - Use tools with other hand part of the time