Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine how the use of a drywall board transport-handle affects physical stress on the human body, subjective reports of pain, discomfort, and physical exhaustion, and task performance compared to a no transport-handle condition. Eight construction workers lifted and transported 20 drywall boards in a simulated single-person construction task. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the two board transport conditions on any of the subjective and physical data collected. Average task performance times were slower for the handle-use condition (232 seconds compared to 207 seconds), but this difference was not statistically significant. A serious shortcoming of the transport handle evaluated in this study is that it does not eliminate the major risk factors associated with drywall installation: frequent lifting and carrying of very heavy objects, and awkward postures of numerous types. Drywall installers' work-related musculoskeletal disorders will likely continue as long as commercial construction continues to require single-person board lifting and transporting and as long as the boards stay as large and heavy as they are currently.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.