title: Rates of and circumstances surrounding work-related falls from height among union drywall carpenters in Washington State, 1989-2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drywall installers are at high risk for work-related falls from height (FFH).
  
  
  METHODS
  We defined a 20-year (1989-2008) cohort of 5,073 union drywall carpenters in Washington State, their worker-hours, and FFH. FFH rate patterns were examined using Poisson regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Drywall installers' FFH rates declined over time and varied little by worker age and time in the union. However, among FFH involving drywall sheets, workers with <10 union years were at high risk. Narratives consistently described the surface from which workers fell, commonly scaffolds (33%), ladders (21%), and stilts (13%). Work task, height fallen, protective equipment use, work speed, weather, influence of other workers/workgroups, and tool/equipment specifics were not often reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In addition to continued efforts to prevent falls from scaffolds and ladders, efforts should address stilt use and less experienced workers who may have greater exposure. Consistency in reported narrative elements may improve FFH risk factor identification and prevention effort evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 2200 West Main Street, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27705, USA. Electronic address: ashley.schoenfisch@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schoenfisch
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 2200 West Main Street, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors.forename: Hester
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
authors.affiliation: Strategic Solutions for Safety, Health & Environment, 7016 46th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98136, USA.
authors.forename: Wilfrid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Safety and Health Assessment and Research Program (SHARP), Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, PO Box 44330, Olympia, WA 98504, USA.
authors.forename: Darrin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Safety and Health Assessment and Research Program (SHARP), Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, PO Box 44330, Olympia, WA 98504, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Silverstein
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D060389:Construction Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D007750:Labor Unions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Construction industry; Drywall installers; Injury narratives; Work-related falls; Workers' compensation