**7. Research design**

This intervention study was designed as a quasi-experimental study with no control group. The only experimental group consisted of the five drywall installers.


**7**

*The Importance of Exposure Assessment in Blue Collar Jobs: Construction as an Example*

**8. Prior ergonomic interventions in drywall installation that was** 

As mentioned earlier, the idea of having the focus groups was to engage the workers to brainstorming sessions in order to find out a solution to their concerns of ceiling/sidewall installation. Some of the ideas that the facilitator of those focus

A.Coupling devices for carrying the panel were already introduced by [8] in order to reduce awkward trunk postures while carrying the drywall panels. Installers were of the opinion that the coupling tools would be suitable for carrying, but could not be used as a help during installation of the panels simply because they lost time for removing the coupling tools from the panel before the

B.Although stilts have not been tested as an alternative to the ladders for drywall installers, workers tend to put extra efforts on their lower extremity to balance their gait, which results in limiting their joint mobility and increasing the risk for falling over objects [1, 3, 4, 9]. However, a 2009 study by Pan [5] concluded that if stilts are kept at low height, it enables the workers to maintain a good postural balance. The facilitator made it an open question to be answered by

C.Reducing the weight of drywall panels by cutting it into two pieces would

The facilitator made it an open question for the installers.

**8.1 What did the workers suggested from the focus groups**

increase the task of fastening additional boards and taping additional joints [1].

The idea of engaging workers in these focus groups were to receive suggestions from them is a useful way to find a solution for a reduction in exposure(s) [10, 11]. These groups gave the workers an opportunity to speak on their work concerns, to collectively discuss advantages or disadvantages of tools and techniques, and to

In two different sites, the workers approached the outcome of the focus group

a.In site 1, the workers wanted to use a narrow piece of panel that is called a

helper' [13] that was fabricated with the idea of the 'deadman'. We named the

b.In site B, the workers wanted to give a try with the prototype 'hanger's

To find out a change of exposure **for ceiling installation at the intervention phase compared to the baseline phase**, a before- after comparison protocol (for PATH

**Table 1 summarizes the overall description of the main postural activities which were selected as the static frames for baseline and intervention analysis** 

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96678*

**discussed with the installers**

installation process.

the installers.

brainstorm solutions to problems.

'deadman' as evidenced by [12].

prototype 'hanger's helper'.

quite differently:

groups brought to the discussion are as follows:

and 3DSSPP) was followed.

**in 3DSSPP method.**

#### **Table 1.**

*The selected static frames from the videos for 3DSSPP analysis.*

*The Importance of Exposure Assessment in Blue Collar Jobs: Construction as an Example DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96678*

To find out a change of exposure **for ceiling installation at the intervention phase compared to the baseline phase**, a before- after comparison protocol (for PATH and 3DSSPP) was followed.

**Table 1 summarizes the overall description of the main postural activities which were selected as the static frames for baseline and intervention analysis in 3DSSPP method.**
