Investigating the Usability and Comfort of Safety Harness in Construction Projects: The Reasons for Non-Use among Iranian Workers

Parvin Sepehr; Mousa Jabbari; Hassan Sadeghi Naeini; Ali Salehi Sahl Abadi; Mansour Ziaei; Vahid Ahmadi Moshiran; Maryam Ahmadian; Younes Mehrifar

doi:10.18502/jhsw.v14i3.18315

Parvin Sepehr Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Mousa Jabbari Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hassan Sadeghi Naeini Industrial Design Department, School of Architecture & Environmental Design, Iran University of Science & Technology, Tehran, Iran
Ali Salehi Sahl Abadi Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mansour Ziaei Department of Health, Safety and Environment, School of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
Vahid Ahmadi Moshiran Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Maryam Ahmadian Department of Biostatistics, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Younes Mehrifar Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jhsw.v14i3.18315

Keywords: Safety harness, Comfort and satisfaction, Construction workers, Usability, MAXQDA, Falling from a height

Abstract

Introduction: The safety harness is a critical device for preventing falls from height, particularly in the construction industry. This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to the non-use of safety harnesses during work at height and to evaluate the comfort, satisfaction, and usability of these harnesses among construction workers in Tehran using a custom-designed tool.

Material and Methods: A semi-structured interview was conducted with construction workers to identify the factors influencing the non-use of safety harnesses. The collected data were analyzed using MAXQDA 10 software. Based on the results, which revealed dissatisfaction with the current safety harnesses, the levels of comfort, satisfaction, and usability were assessed using the Safety Harness Usability and Comfort Assessment Tool (SHUCAT) questionnaire.

Results: The reasons for not using safety harnesses were categorized into four main groups: management factors, worker attitudes, comfort, and harness design. These were further subdivided into 27 subgroups. The average satisfaction and comfort scores for safety harnesses were 26.8 ± 6.25, indicating that workers generally felt uncomfortable and dissatisfied with their harnesses. The average usability score was 38.70 ± 5.60, reflecting poor usability of the harnesses.

Conclusion: Improving the safety harness design could enhance workers’ comfort and satisfaction, increasing their willingness to use the equipment. Incorporating feedback from users and experts into the design process can help address the identified shortcomings and result in better product development.