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Purpose: Noise exposure is an important and highly prevalent occupational hazard in the construction industry. This study examines hearing threshold levels of a large population of Dutch construction workers and compares their hearing thresholds to those predicted by ISO-1999., Methods: In this retrospective study, medical records of periodic occupational health examinations of 29,644 construction workers are analysed. Pure-tone audiometric thresholds of noise-exposed workers are compared to a non-exposed control group and to ISO-1999 predictions. Regression analyses are conducted to explore the relationship between hearing loss and noise intensity, noise exposure time and the use of hearing protection., Results: Noise-exposed workers had greater hearing losses compared to their non-noise-exposed colleagues and to the reference population reported in ISO-1999. Noise exposure explained only a small proportion of hearing loss. When the daily noise exposure level rose from 80 dB(A) towards 96 dB(A), only a minor increase in hearing loss is shown. The relation of exposure time and hearing loss found was similar to ISO-1999 predictions when looking at durations of 10 years or more. For the first decade, the population medians show poorer hearing than predicted by ISO-1999., Discussion: Duration of noise exposure was a better predictor than noise exposure levels, probably because of the limitations in noise exposure estimations. In this population, noise-induced hearing loss was already present at the beginning of employment and increased at the same rate as is predicted for longer exposure durations.

Background: Maintaining the ability of workers to cope with physical and psychosocial demands at work becomes increasingly important in prolonging working life., Aims: To analyse the effects of work-related factors and individual characteristics on work ability and to determine the predictive value of work ability on receiving a work-related disability pension., Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted among 850 construction workers aged 40 years and older, with average follow-up period of 23 months. Disability was defined as receiving a disability pension, granted to workers unable to continue working in their regular job. Work ability was assessed using the work ability index (WAI). Associations between work-related factors and individual characteristics with work ability at baseline were evaluated using linear regression analysis, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of work ability for disability., Results: Work-related factors were associated with a lower work ability at baseline, but had little prognostic value for disability during follow-up. The hazard ratios for disability among workers with a moderate and poor work ability at baseline were 8 and 32, respectively. All separate scales in the WAI had predictive power for future disability with the highest influence of current work ability in relation to job demands and lowest influence of diseases diagnosed by a physician., Conclusion: A moderate or poor work ability was highly predictive for receiving a disability pension. Preventive measures should facilitate a good balance between work performance and health in order to prevent quitting labour participation.

The goal of the study was to assess the test-retest reliability of the Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire. Reliability was tested using a test-retest design with a 4 week interval between measurements. Valid data were collected among 97 elderly construction workers aged 40 years and older. We analysed the test-retest reliability of the WAI score itself (range 7-49 points) and classification in one of the four WAI categories based on this score: poor (7-27 points); moderate (28-36 points); good (37-43 points); and excellent work ability (44-49 points). Exactly the same WAI score on both measurements was reported by 25% of the subjects and 95% of the individual differences between measurements were found to be <6.86 points (two times standard deviation). Despite the individual changes between measurements, no significant difference was reported in the mean WAI score at group level between test and retest measurements (40.4 versus 39.9). The percentage of observed agreement for the classification of subjects in one of the four WAI categories on both measurements equalled 66%. The results of this study provided evidence of an acceptable test-retest reliability of the classification of subject's work ability by means of the WAI questionnaire. At group level, the mean WAI score and classification into WAI categories were found to be a stable measure over a 4 week interval. These results give additional support for the applicability of the questionnaire in occupational health research and the daily practice of occupational health care.

An increase in morbidity and disability rates in the Dutch construction industry is expected due to work force aging. In order to reduce these rates, an occupational health services instrument for senior construction workers will be developed to gather information on present problems in work and health, expectations for the future, and potential preventive policy measures. The aim of this study was to identify age-related work and health issues among construction workers that could be included in the new instrument. Questionnaire data on work and health from 1881 young (16-30 years) and 1946 old (45-64 years) construction workers were analyzed and a literature search was performed. Results show that health problems, in particular for musculoskeletal disorders, increase with advancing age, demonstrating the need for occupational health arrangements for the maintenance and improvement of work ability of senior construction workers.

The results of the general Atlas of Health and Working Conditions by Occupation were compared with the results of the Atlas of Health and Working Conditions in the Construction Industry. Both are based on questionnaire data from periodical occupational health surveys [POHSs]. The scores on most of the items showed considerable differences between the two atlases, partly due to differences in the regional origin of the data. Therefore, direct comparisons between the atlases are biased by regional differences. To study the reliability and the generalizability of the results of both atlases, similarities between the data files with respect to occupations in the construction industry were studied. Most of the items on working conditions, especially those with a widespread distribution, showed a close resemblance between the data files in terms of the relative position of an occupation compared to other occupations in the construction industry. The items on health showed less resemblance, except for the items on musculoskeletal complaints, which showed results similar to those of the work items. These results indicate the reliability and generalizability of the judgements based on both atlases outside the regions of origin, as far as items with a widespread distribution are concerned. Therefore, we recommend the aggregation of POHS data on a national scale, taking regional differences into account. In that way, a greater number of occupations will be described and the reliability of the results will be enhanced.