A recent report on ill-health among Irish construction workers confirms that construction workers are more prone to certain diseases, illnesses and injury than people in other industries or in the general population.
The Construction Employees Health Trust study "Patterns of Ill-health in Irish Construction Workers" found that a high proportion of construction workers retired on ill-health grounds before age 65, with as many as 8 per cent taking early retirement on health grounds before the age of 45.
Dr Harold Brenner, medical director of the health trust, told The Irish Times: "The average annual rate of early retirement on health grounds over the period of the study, from 1972 to 1996, averaged 5.3 per 1,000 workers. Eight per cent of all retirements on health grounds occurred in workers under the age of 45."
He said that, while he could not comment on how this compared with other industries in the Republic, as data were not available, the rate of early retirement on health grounds "probably reflects the arduous work of a construction worker".
Mr William Ahern, secretary of trust, which was established primarily at trade unions' request in 1994 to focus on the health of construction workers, said that, before the report, the evidence of ill-health among construction workers had been anecdotal.
The trust is a health promotion body. "Most of our day-to-day work is going on to building sites with the Irish Cancer Society and Irish Heart Foundation nurses - with the employers' permission obviously," he said. They may spend between two and five weeks on the larger sites, giving workers an opportunity to have an individual health assessment and to attend presentations from, for instance, the Irish Cancer Society on how to recognise the early symptoms of cancer.
More than 7,000 workers have had an individual health screening from 1995 to date. "We pick up, obviously, some valuable information from that as well, because 7,000 would be a pretty good sample of the industry as a whole. That's why we're very sure of figures in relation to smoking in the industry, for instance. The smoking prevalence in the industry, based on that 7,000, is 44 per cent as against the national average of about 31 per cent. So it's quite high."
Nine per cent of the 7,000 were referred to their own GPs following the health checks organised by the trust. Most referrals concerned blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight or a combination of those things.
The report was first and foremost for the industry itself. Following that, its target audience included the medical profession, employers and the Department of Health and Children and related bodies.
While he saw the poor health profile of construction workers as primarily a lifestyle problem, Mr Ahern believed that lifestyle was "almost dictated by the nature of the industry". Dr Brenner added that the industry "tends to attract people who like the rough and tumble of outdoor hard work, which is often associated with above average smoking and drinking". While acknowledging the co-operation of employers in facilitating the trust in doing its work, Mr Ahern asked that employers note the report's findings and consider how their site or workplace might be improved with a focus on health rather than only on safety. For instance, where canteens are available, healthy eating options could be offered rather than simply chips and a fry.
"It's one of the few industries where you can smoke at work," he said.
Dr Brenner added that musculoskeletal problems were very common and employers could help in this regard by providing information on safe work practices, such as information on lifting and moving heavy weights.
Currently, the trust CEHT is offering free prostate cancer testing to all construction workers over the age of 49 who are members of the Construction Federation Operative Scheme pension fund. Some 6,000 workers in that age group will receive letters from the trust informing them of the availability of the scheme.
Where the GP finds a positive indication in relation to prostate cancer, he is invited to refer the patient on to a consultant urologist. The trust covers the cost of the consultation and the cost of any further testing, if required. The trust is also researching dietary patterns among younger construction workers and establishing the causes of death in construction workers.
The study concluded that absence from work due to injury or illness and premature retirement on health grounds was costly for workers and businesses alike.
jmarms@irish-times.ie
