Woodworkers’ Demographic Characteristics and Perceptions of Popular Wood Preservatives in the Ghanaian Housing Industry

Abstract

In the housing industry in Ghana, wood treatment is often done using water-borne preservatives. Common examples of preservatives include Acid Copper Chromate (ACC), Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), and Chlorpyrifos (Dursban). It is important to know that good wood preservatives must be available on the market to ensure the quality of wood products in the Ghanaian housing industry. It is not enough that the preservative is efficient; it ought to be popular on the market. However, the popularity of a preservative may not necessarily portray its popularity. The main purpose of this study was to identify the most and least popular water-borne wood preservatives (Dursban, CCA, and ACC) in use and also determine any possible associations between woodworkers' views concerning the most and least popular water-borne wood preservatives used in the housing industries and demographic status. An analytic sample of 199 participants was included in our study using a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. The results suggest that woodworkers rated Dursban as the most popular (65 %), CCA least popular (52 %), and ACC unsure (37 %). More specifically, young adults (74 %), secondary educated (84 %), carpentry speciality (86 %), and over two years experienced (88 %) woodworkers rated Dursban the most popular water-borne wood preservative used in the housing industry. However, young adults (56 %), secondary educated (59 %), carpentry specialists (59 %), and over two years experienced woodworkers (60 %) rated CCA the least popular water-borne wood preservative use in the housing industry. Further, we observed significant associations between participants' education, profession, and experience with their perceptions of widespread water-borne wood preservatives used in the Ghanaian housing industry. Our study has implications for research, practice, and policy.