Overview
Drywallers, workers who install, tape, and finish gypsum board, faced significant asbestos exposure from joint compound (mud) and texture coatings used throughout the construction industry. Sanding dried joint compound was particularly hazardous, releasing asbestos fibers in dense clouds.
Sanding dried joint compound created extremely high airborne asbestos concentrations. Drywallers often worked in clouds of dust without respiratory protection for entire workdays.
Asbestos in Drywall Materials
| Product | Asbestos Content | Exposure Level |
|---|---|---|
| Joint compound (mud) | 3-6% | Very High |
| Textured ceiling spray | 5-15% | Very High |
| Patching compound | 3-6% | High |
| Spackling paste | 3-6% | Moderate |
How Drywallers Were Exposed
Mixing
Joint compound was sold as powder that workers mixed with water:
- Opening bags released asbestos dust
- Mixing created additional airborne fibers
- Dry compound settled throughout work areas
Sanding
The most hazardous task was sanding dried compound:
- Hand sanding created localized dust clouds
- Pole sanding spread dust throughout rooms
- No respiratory protection was typically used
- Workers breathed contaminated air for hours
U.S. Gypsum, Georgia-Pacific, and other major manufacturers produced asbestos-containing joint compound. Many of these companies have established asbestos trust funds.
Work Environments
Drywallers worked in every construction setting between 1940 and 1980, from residential single-family homes and apartments, to commercial office buildings and retail, to institutional schools, hospitals, and government buildings, and on renovation projects where existing asbestos drywall was cut apart. Institutional work in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois produced the heaviest exposures because Georgia-Pacific and U.S. Gypsum joint compound was used in dense wall assemblies.
Related Occupations
Drywallers worked alongside:
- Carpenters, Building construction
- Painters, Surface finishing
- Plasterers, Wall finishing
- Electricians, Building systems
- Laborers, Cleanup
Related Industries
Health Consequences
Drywallers face elevated risk of mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest or abdominal lining; asbestosis, a progressive scarring of the lungs; lung cancer, with risk multiplied among smokers; and pleural disease that thickens the lining around the lungs.
Legal Options
Drywallers diagnosed with mesothelioma typically pursue several tracks in parallel. Major joint-compound manufacturers established asbestos trust funds through bankruptcy reorganization, including the U.S. Gypsum, Georgia-Pacific, and National Gypsum trusts. Trust claims often run alongside product-liability suits against solvent joint-compound manufacturers, premises-liability claims against building owners, and workers’ compensation through a former employer.