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VIEWPOINT:
University
examines the effects of construction on health
By
Steve Lustig
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 Two
unavoidable truths go along with construction, be it in your
home, neighborhood or workplace. First, it may be disruptive
to life as it had been. No matter how well you plan for it,
you will probably be disrupted in more ways than you ever anticipated.
Second, construction projects almost never follow the original
timeline, even when you factor in the unknowns.
In your personal
life, you can weigh the inconvenience against the benefits,
and you may decide that the hassle is worth it. But at work,
very likely someone else is making the decision. And, although
overall improvements may result, the construction might not
bring noticeable improvements to your workspace in the short
run. Then how do you feel about the disruption?
To improve
the experience of faculty and staff coping with a workplace
under construction, a campus workgroup is assessing the employee's
perspective and working to address frustrations. The workgroup
represents the departments that commonly receive phone calls
from faculty and staff when construction projects cause disruption.
These departments include University Health Services; Environment,
Health & Safety; Office of Human Resources; Staff Ombuds, and
Capital Projects.
As a group,
we bring various individual and departmental viewpoints and
expertise to the table as we tackle questions like: What changes
and challenges do faculty and staff experience each day when
construction affects the work they are doing, the building they
work in, the building next door, or the paths/roads they use?
What are the lessons we have learned from past construction
projects that we can apply to the next 20 years of construction?
What haven't we thought of yet that will make construction a
more tolerable experience?
In answer
to these questions, we have learned, not surprisingly, that
people have trouble working amid noise, dust, mess, lighting
problems and disorganization. Relocation to a temporary space
has its own issues, such as isolation from staff, students and
faculty in the old location. We have learned that people react
differently to disruption; some have more difficulties than
others, but that almost everyone fares better when they understand
what is happening.
We have learned
that people do better when they have some control over their
circumstances; e.g., a voice in alternate plans or some flexibility
in their work schedules. We have learned some of the hard facts
of construction budgets - that they are funded out of specific
pots of money for the costs of construction only; and some of
the hard facts of departmental budgets - that they don't always
cover the human or financial resources necessary to address
emotional, work and relationship problems that may exist due
to disruption from construction. The needs of the workplace
and requirements of a construction project can sometimes conflict.
It's the pull of these competing and parallel tracks that challenge
the faculty and staff in their daily experience to balance their
work with the needs of construction projects in their departments.
We have also
learned that addressing faculty and staff health concerns about
construction can be complicated because, while project crews
are usually working under applicable industrial health and safety
laws and guidelines, these guidelines primarily address health
and safety hazards and do not eliminate the impact of disruption.
The physical and emotional health effects some people feel may
not clinically be attributable directly to construction. We
have learned that addressing some of the predictable concerns
in the early stages of a project can lessen the development
of some physical and emotional symptoms down the road and that
the way our departments respond to these concerns can have an
impact.
Renewing
the foundations of excellence on campus presents many challenges
for our community, even when we know that much of the construction
is for the good of the whole. For example, seismic improvements
increase the safety of those who work in and walk by the building.
These improvements may not immediately translate into a more
attractive or functional personal space, but we found that faculty
and staff do appreciate the increased personal safety.
Finally,
we have a growing vision of what it means and what it takes
to build a healthy building. As the group identifies elements
of physical infrastructure that benefit the health of faculty
and staff, it works with campus planners to integrate these
elements into the planning process.
As we gather
information about the human side of construction and identify
possibilities for improvement, we are formulating recommendations,
translating our discussions into work with faculty and staff
in affected buildings, and planning new ways to work together
to ease disruptions caused by construction. And we're still
looking for helpful suggestions. What haven't we thought of
yet that will make being under construction a more tolerable
experience? Contact the following workgroup departments if you
have something to add:
Capital Projects:
643-4793
Environment, Health & Safety: 642-4848
Office of Human Resources: 642-7163
Staff Ombuds Office: 642-7823
University Health Services: 642-6621
Steve
Lustig is the assistant vice chancellor, University Health and
Counseling Services, and chairman of the campus's health and
construction workgroup.
Renewing
the Foundations of Excellence home
Source:
Berkeleyan
Special Issue, Fall 2000
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