Schoenfish Submits NIH R01 Application on Preventing Injuries Among Drywallers

Schoenfish Submits NIH R01 Application on Preventing Injuries Among Drywallers

Kudos to Ashley Schoenfisch and her entire team for the submission of their NIH R01 resubmission entitled “Preventing Injuries Among Drywallers: Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation of Current Recommendations and Practices." This proposal requests funding for a three-year period with a start date of July 1, 2017.

Abstract: Drywall installers have high rates of nonfatal work-related injury compared to workers in other construction trade groups, attributed in part to the physical demands of drywall handling as well as hazards posed by postural instability and work at height in this fast-paced, production-oriented work. There is a need to understand current drywall installation work practices in the US, including a modern and more complete assessment of the comparative ergonomic and physiologic benefits of lighter-weight drywall and several NIOSH injury prevention recommendations for this high risk trade. There is also a need to consider efforts in higher tiers of the public health hierarchy of controls that may be more effective in reducing the incidence of work-related drywall-handling injuries.

The purpose of this collaborative, mixed-methods study is to provide a rigorous, modern, multi-disciplinary, and broad-spanning examination of drywall installers’ work demands; their use of assistive devices, NIOSH recommended work practices, and new materials (specifically, lighter-weight drywall); and the influence of such use on physical demands, fatigue, and postural control. Key informant interview and survey data collected from diverse perspectives will allow an understanding of drywall installers’ safety, with a focus on understanding the prevalence of and factors influencing the use of injury prevention approaches. Lab-based experimentation will allow evaluation of work-demands in alternative drywall installation approaches using a range of subjective, objective, and performance-based dependent measures. The long-term goal of this study is to “reduce injury and illness…through improved understanding of why groups of workers experience disproportionate risks in construction work and expanding the availability and use of effective interventions” (NORA Strategic Goal 12). To foster the pragmatic application of research findings into practice, academic, industry, and trade collaborations will guide the development and dissemination of tailored Research to Practice outputs.

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