The reliability of the discomfort survey component within the Discomfort Survey and Postural Assessment (DiSPA) tool, applied on construction workers

Abstract

There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among road construction workers with attendant consequences. Although several tools have been developed in the past to assess MSD risk factors for MSD prevention, the Discomfort Survey and Postural Assessment Tool (DiSPA) has been designed to accommodate more MSD risk factors, combine discomfort survey with postural assessment and assess the entire body. The reliability of the Postural Assessment component of DiSPA has been tested previously in a pilot test. This paper aims to present and discuss the pilot study results of the reliability test for the Discomfort Survey component of DiSPA. Features of the Discomfort Survey include a body map with a body segment graph, risk matrix and a rating table. A test-retest test is conducted to check the reliability of the Discomfort Survey section of the DiSPA tool. 10 construction workers from different trades are assessed using the discomfort survey arm of DiSPA. The results show good reliability of the tool. Insights and findings from the study are presented. The reliability test disagreements and agreements are discussed for further improvement of the tool