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published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This research investigates the impacts of construction skills acquired by the beneficiaries who participated in the construction of housing in the three case studies used in this study; the housing policy also assumes such a connection. The study argues that the construction skills can assist training beneficiaries to acquire sustainable employment in the housing construction industry. The housing beneficiaries have however experienced the problem of being unable to make further housing completion due to various problems such as unemployment, low income, regulations and building standards. Therefore, the study also assumes that housing construction industry has a potentially pivotal role to play in providing sustainable employment to the training beneficiaries, which In turn allow them to generate income for housing improvements. The study uses two core-housing approaches (incremental and enabling), which emphasises the importance of construction skills to the training beneficiaries and are relevant to the South African Housing Policy. This study argues that the Housing Policy has a crucial role to play in construction skills acquisition during the construction of incremental housing projects. This study investigates the relationship among skills, employment and housing improvements of Hambanati, Mshayazafe and Waterloo areas in KwaZulu-Natal. A research In this study has been conducted for the purpose of highlighting realities regarding the impact of acquiring relevant construction skills through incremental housing projects. The research will enable the study to inform the government's current housing policy about the potential benefits of providing construction skills in the delivery of incremental housing. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 2003.

Following the discovery oil in Saudi Arabia, five year plans for economic development and modernization followed. Foreign workers were needed to provide skills required for the projects. Although most of the major projects have been completed, a high percentage of foreign workers continue to be employed in the kingdom.

As tarefas desempenhadas na indústria da construção civil são na grande maioria, braçais e com certo grau de esforço. Este estudo teve como objetivo principal avaliar a postura e sobrecarga osteomuscular na atividade de reboco de teto, a qual foi relatada como fatigante por muitos trabalhadores. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa foi utilizada uma metodologia baseada em entrevistas, aplicação de questionários, filmagem, avaliação de postura de trabalho e sobrecarga muscular através de ferramentas ergonômicas como OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysing System), Moore Garg (Stain Index) e Checklist de Couto. Para a avaliação inicial, das zonas dolorosas e da intensidade de dor, utilizou-se o Diagrama de Áreas Dolorosas proposto por Corlett e Manenica, por ser um instrumento de fácil utilização e poder oferecer respostas com relação à existência de dor, sua localização e sua intensidade. Foram avaliadas inicialmente, as posturas dos pedreiros nas atividades de contrapiso, chapisco, traqueamento, azulejista, reboco de teto, requadro, reboco de parede e atividades de servente. Analisou-se as posturas dos mesmos, por meio de registros fotográficos e com a aplicação de ferramentas ergonômicas. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que a atividade do pedreiro rebocando o teto era a atividade mais crítica, pois apresentou um maior grau de desconforto, segundo os trabalhadores e seus riscos biomecânicos. Tendo descoberto qual era a atividade do pedreiro aonde exigia maior sobrecarga e dor/desconforto, partiu-se para a análise termográfica desta atividade em indivíduos em um ambiente controlado, a fim de verificar a eficiência da termografia na detecção de sobrecarga muscular na região do ombro dos voluntários. Os resultados das simulações mostraram que ao realizar o movimento de abdução de ombro direito, posição da atividade de reboco de teto, houve um aumento significativo na temperatura entre os dois ombros bem como o aparecimento de fadiga muscular ao final das 350 repetições do movimento. Ao fim desta pesquisa é possível afirmar que o uso da termografia superficial como ferramenta complementar, apresentou‐se como um método eficiente para implantar em um programa ergonômico na empresa, efetuando um trabalho de prevenção, evitando patologias e melhorando a qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores. Pode-se contribuir consideravelmente para a implantação da ergonomia na empresa, a partir do diagnóstico fidedigno aos reais problemas presentes na mesma e muitas vezes ocultos. Conclui-se então, que podem ser mensurados pontos de exigência muscular através da termografia, no fator de prevenção em um ambiente de trabalho na construção civil. / The tasks performed in the construction industry are, in the great majority, handy and with a certain degree of effort. This study had as main objective to evaluate the posture and musculoskeletal overload in the activity of ceiling plastering, which was reported as fatiguing by many workers. For the development of the research, a methodology based on interviews, questionnaire application, filming, work posture evaluation and muscular overload was used using ergonomic tools such as OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysis System), Moore Garg (Stain Index) and Checklist of Couto. For the initial evaluation of pain zones and pain intensity, the Diagram of Painful Areas proposed by Corlett and Manenica was used as it is an easy-to-use instrument and can offer answers regarding the existence of pain, its location and its intensity. The positions of the masons were evaluated initially in the activities of subfloor, slab, trowel, azulejo, plaster of ceiling, plaster, wall plaster and servant activities. The postures were analyzed through photographic records and the application of ergonomic tools. The results showed that the activity of the bricklayer towing the roof was the most critical activity, since it presented a greater degree of discomfort, according to the workers and their biomechanical risks. Having discovered the activity of the mason where it required greater overload and pain / discomfort, we set out to the thermographic analysis of this activity in individuals in a controlled environment, in order to verify the efficiency of the thermography in the detection of muscular overload in the shoulder region Of volunteers. The results of the simulations showed that when performing the right shoulder abduction movement, position of the ceiling plaster activity, there was a significant increase in the temperature between the two shoulders as well as the appearance of muscular fatigue at the end of the 350 repetitions of the movement. At the end of this research it is possible to affirm that the use of surface thermography as a complementary tool was an efficient method to implant in an ergonomic program in the company, carrying out a prevention work, avoiding pathologies and improving workers' quality of life. One can contribute considerably to the implantation of the ergonomics in the company, from the reliable diagnosis to the real problems present in the same and often hidden. It is concluded that muscular exigency points can be measured through thermography, in the prevention factor in a work environment in the civil construction.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This study aims to investigate the relation between a crane operator in a slab handlingarea's experience of his/her work environment and occupational health. A study of the literature leads one to the conclusion that the nature of crane operators' work environment may cause health problems. According to the literature crane operators are high risk cases regarding musculoskeletal disorders. The empirical study affirms that there are risk factors present in the crane operator's work environment, which may influence his/her occupational health. It is statistically proven that there is a meaningful difference between crane operators with a negative experience of the work environment and crane operators with a positive experience of the work environment, and the amount of illnesses experienced by crane operators as well as their general health. Recommendations are made regarding training, adjustability and flexibility of the work station, job rotation, job expansion and enrichment, and social contact. / Die doel van die studie is om die verband tussen 'n kraanoperateur in 'n platblokhanteringsarea se ervaring van sy/haar werksomgewing en beroepsgesondheid te ondersoek. Die literatuurstudie lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat die aard van kraanoperateurs se werksomgewing aanleiding kan gee tot gesondheidsprobleme. Volgens die literatuur is kraanoperateurs hoerisikogevalle ten opsigte van spierskeletstelselbeserings. Die empiriese studie bevestig dat daar risikofaktore voorkom in die kraanoperateur se werksomgewing wat sy/haar beroepsgesondheid kan be"invloed. Statisties is bewys dat daar 'n betekenisvolle verskil is tussen kraanoperateurs met 'n negatiewe ervaring van die werksomgewing en kraanoperateurs met 'n positiewe ervaring van die werksomgewing en die hoeveelheid siektetoestande wat kraanoperateurs ervaar, en die algemene gesondheid van kraanoperateurs. Aanbevelings om risikofaktore te beheer word gemaak ten opsigte van opleiding, verstelbaarheid en buigbaarheid van die werkstasie, posrotasie, posverbreding en - verryking, en sosiale kontak. / Industrial Psychology / M. Com (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This study aims to investigate the relation between a crane operator in a slab handlingarea's experience of his/her work environment and occupational health. A study of the literature leads one to the conclusion that the nature of crane operators' work environment may cause health problems. According to the literature crane operators are high risk cases regarding musculoskeletal disorders. The empirical study affirms that there are risk factors present in the crane operator's work environment, which may influence his/her occupational health. It is statistically proven that there is a meaningful difference between crane operators with a negative experience of the work environment and crane operators with a positive experience of the work environment, and the amount of illnesses experienced by crane operators as well as their general health. Recommendations are made regarding training, adjustability and flexibility of the work station, job rotation, job expansion and enrichment, and social contact. / Die doel van die studie is om die verband tussen 'n kraanoperateur in 'n platblokhanteringsarea se ervaring van sy/haar werksomgewing en beroepsgesondheid te ondersoek. Die literatuurstudie lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat die aard van kraanoperateurs se werksomgewing aanleiding kan gee tot gesondheidsprobleme. Volgens die literatuur is kraanoperateurs hoerisikogevalle ten opsigte van spierskeletstelselbeserings. Die empiriese studie bevestig dat daar risikofaktore voorkom in die kraanoperateur se werksomgewing wat sy/haar beroepsgesondheid kan be"invloed. Statisties is bewys dat daar 'n betekenisvolle verskil is tussen kraanoperateurs met 'n negatiewe ervaring van die werksomgewing en kraanoperateurs met 'n positiewe ervaring van die werksomgewing en die hoeveelheid siektetoestande wat kraanoperateurs ervaar, en die algemene gesondheid van kraanoperateurs. Aanbevelings om risikofaktore te beheer word gemaak ten opsigte van opleiding, verstelbaarheid en buigbaarheid van die werkstasie, posrotasie, posverbreding en - verryking, en sosiale kontak. / Industrial Psychology / M. Com (Industrial Psychology)