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  1. About Mud
    1. When Did Joint Compound Contain Asbestos?
    2. Manufacturers and Distributors of Asbestos-Containing Joint Compounds
    3. Drywall vs. Plaster Installation
    4. Job sites in New York Where Joint Compound Was Used
      1. University At Buffalo
        1. University at Buffalo’s North Campus and Exposure to Asbestos
        2. University at Buffalo Image Gallery
        3. Our Clients Describe Their Asbestos Exposure at the University at Buffalo
          1. Electrician describes his exposure to asbestos during the construction of the U.B. Law School
          2. Plasterer describes the use of asbestos-containing fireproofing at the University at Buffalo
      2. Amherst Central High School
      3. Cornell University
        1. Cornell University Image Gallery
      4. Emerson Vocational School
      5. Hudson Plastering Corporation
      6. Marine Midland Center
      7. Marine Midland Plaza, Rochester
      8. Mercy Hospital
      9. Monroe Community College
      10. Rochester Davis-Fetch Corporation
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  2. Exposure to Joint Compound
    1. Home Exposure to Joint Compound
    2. Building Renovations and Asbestos Abatement
    3. Exposure Through Drywall Installation
      1. Exposure Through Set-Up and Mixing
      2. Exposure Through Sanding
      3. Exposure Through Clean-Up
  3. U.S. Government Position on Asbestos
    1. Failure to Warn
    2. Countries That Have Banned Asbestos
  4. Mesothelioma & Joint Compound
    1. What is Mesothelioma?
    2. Symptoms of Mesothelioma
    3. Mesothelioma Diagnosis
    4. Legal Claims for Mesothelioma
    5. Joint Compound Legal Decisions
    6. Settlements for Joint Compound Workers
    7. Questions About Our Mesothelioma Practice
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Home > Exposure to Joint Compound

Exposure to Joint Compound

Asbestos Exposure to Joint CompoundPrior to the 1970's, many products used in home and in residential construction contained asbestos. As a result, contractors and laborers were exposed to airborne asbestos dust without warning or protection from this mineral, which has the potential to cause fatal diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestos is a common element that could be found in a wide range of building materials, including joint compound, also known as drywall cement. Prior to the late 1970's, numerous manufacturers included asbestos in both dry and ready-mix versions of their joint compound products because it was durable, heat-resistant and an inexpensive material. Contractors and laborers were exposed to asbestos, through the application process of joint compound.

Asbestos-containing drywall joint compound was packaged as either ready-mix (an application-ready product) or as dry mix (a powder that requires water in order to form a paste for application). After adding water to the dry mix joint compound, the product is then mixed, thereby releasing a mass of dust into the breathing area of the worker mixing the compound. "At 1.5 meters distance away, readings were averaged at 47,200,000 individual asbestos fibers per cubic meter of air. Those working in the background up to 6 meters away were exposed to an average of 5,800,000 fibers per cubic meter of air, and those in an adjacent room approximately 10 meters away were exposed to an average of 2,600,000 fibers per cubic meter of air."1

Once the joint compound has been applied and dries, sanding can take place to achieve a smooth and seamless area between drywall boards. Joint compound is typically sanded by hand with either a hand-held sanding block or, if the work is conducted overhead, with a pole sander. Hand-sanding targets an area within an arm's length of the worker, whereas pole-sanding is conducted overhead and on hard-to-reach areas, such as a ceiling. Both hand-sanding and pole-sanding break down excess joint compound and release millions of asbestos fibers into the atmosphere. "At 1.5 meters distance, hand-sanding released an average of 5,300,000 fibers per cubic meter of air, and pole-sanding potentially releases up to 10,000,000 fibers per cubic meter of air."2 Even when studying the asbestos fiber levels from sanding (hand-sanding or pole-sanding) in an adjacent room, "the atmospheric asbestos fibers count averages 4,000,000+ fibers per cubic meter of air."3 Sanding was often conducted at least three times or more. The mere process of sanding asbestos-containing joint compound exposed a worker to nearly 30 million fibers (based on pole-sanding data).

The final step in the joint compound drywall finishing process is clean-up. Because the process of mixing and sanding creates a vast amount of asbestos-containing dust, it was common for excess dust and debris to be swept up with a broom. Unfortunately, this process created and re-emitted asbestos-containing dust back into the breathing areas of workers and individuals that were also in close proximity to the clean-up. "At 15 minutes after sweeping, it was recorded that 41,400,000 fibers per cubic meter remained floating in the air. At 35 minutes, 26,400,000 fibers per cubic meter remained"4. Whether a worker was exposed to one asbestos fiber or to 30 million, there is absolutely no safe level of exposure.

1 Rohl, A. N., A. M. Langer, I. J. Selikoff, and W. J. Nicholson. "Exposure to Asbestos in the Use of Consumer Spackling, Patching, and Taping Compounds." SCIENCE 189 (1975): 551-53. Print.

2 Rohl, A. N., A. M. Langer, I. J. Selikoff, and W. J. Nicholson. "Exposure to Asbestos in the Use of Consumer Spackling, Patching, and Taping Compounds." SCIENCE 189 (1975): 551-53. Print.

3 Rohl, A. N., A. M. Langer, I. J. Selikoff, and W. J. Nicholson. "Exposure to Asbestos in the Use of Consumer Spackling, Patching, and Taping Compounds." SCIENCE 189 (1975): 551-53. Print.

4 Rohl, A. N., A. M. Langer, I. J. Selikoff, and W. J. Nicholson. "Exposure to Asbestos in the Use of Consumer Spackling, Patching, and Taping Compounds." SCIENCE 189 (1975): 551-53. Print.