Toolbox Talk: Drywall Safety

Drywall installers play a crucial role in construction. Unfortunately, several everyday tasks that drywall workers perform, pose serious safety risks, and the fact that many of these activities are performed at heights adds additional dangers. To minimize your risk of injury on the job, consider the following safety precautions.

Points to Remember:

1. Keep your body healthy and maintain good physical strength by exercising outside of work to help reduce your risk of injuries and strains.

2. Consider working in pairs to help lift, position, and control sheetrock.

3. Use powered sanding equipment when doing finishing work. These power-assisted tools reduce the need for exerting excessive force.

4. Rotate every few hours from one task to another to give your muscles a rest and avoid repetitive motion injuries.

5. Follow all ladder safety recommendations to prevent falls.

6. Always use manufactured scaffolding that is level and properly erected on solid ground, fully decked, has proper access, and has guardrails.

7. Both gypsum dust and dry mixed joint compound dust can be irritating to the lungs and eyes. Wear safety glasses and respirators or dust masks to reduce your risk of exposure when doing tasks that create excessive dust.

8. Make sure interior wall wiring sticking out of outlet boxes is “dead” and always use grounded and GFCI-protected powered tools to avoid shocks.