Evaluation of Dust Control Technologies for Drywall Finishing Operations: Industry Implementation Trends, Worker Perceptions, Effectiveness and Usability

Drywall finishing operations have been associated with worker exposure to dust that contains known particulate respiratory health hazards, such as silica, talc, and mica. Despite the existence of engineering, work-practice, and personal-protective-equipment (PPE) control technologies for the mitigation of this hazard, worker exposures persist in the drywall finishing industry. This research employed a macroergonomic framework to evaluate this problem and identify barriers to dust control technology adoption in the key subsystems: personnel, technological, and organizational. In the first study, the organizational subsystem was evaluated through a telephone interview of 264 drywall finishing firm owners. This study found the most commonly used dust control technology was respiratory protection. Cost, usability, environmental factors, and productivity were barriers identified in preventing adoption of other technologies. In the second study, of the technological subsystem, 16 participants performed simulated drywall finishing tasks with each of four methods, in a laboratory setting. Dust particles were monitored and compared among the technologies used. Participants performed usability evaluations of the

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