TOOLBOX TALK

Materials Handling: Drywall

Workers who handle drywall sheets are at high risk of overexertion. The weight and bulkiness of drywall can intensify any bending, twisting, turning or lifting motions and cause serious injury.

Sam’s Story Sam had been working as a drywall installer for 10 years. On his last job, after lifting and carrying 12 individual 10-foot sections of drywall up 20 steps, he began to feel pain in his elbow. Sam went to his doctor and was diagnosed with tendonitis.

1. How could this injury have been prevented?

2. Have you ever been injured while lifting orhandling drywall?

Preventing Drywall Injuries Minimize the need to move drywall sheets.

Lift only one sheet at a time.

Use two workers to lift larger, thicker, and heaviersheets.

Use lifting tools and devices to move sheetsinstead of carrying them by hand.

Use a vertical lift to position and hold the drywall soyou can screw sheets to the ceiling safer.

For vertical handing in commercial buildings,1. raise the sheet2. shift grip to opposite sides of the sheet,3. rotate the sheet into a vertical position, and4. secure it to the wall.

Keep materials and tools orderly and store safely toprevent tripping and other safety hazards.

How can we stay safe today? What will we do at the worksite to minimize lifting and handling drywall?

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OSHA STANDARD: Section 5(1)(1) of The OSHA Act

©2016, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. All rights reserved. CPWR is the research, training, and service arm of the Building and Construction Trades Dept., AFL-CIO, and works to reduce or eliminate safety and health hazards construction workers face on the job. Production of this card was supported by Grant OH009762 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. www.cpwr.com

Materials Handling: Drywall

• Use two workers to lift larger, thicker, and heavier sheets.• Lift only one sheet at a time.• Use a vertical lift to help hold the drywall so you can

screw sheets to the ceiling safer.