Written By: David Statman
Asbestos Exposure for Drywallers
Asbestos was often used in drywall during the 20th century to resist heat and increase durability. Therefore, drywallers were often exposed to asbestos when installing or repairing drywall in a home, office or other types of buildings. Occupational asbestos exposure through drywall work can lead to deadly cancers, including a rare one called mesothelioma.
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Important Facts About Asbestos Exposure in Drywallers
- Drywall is a necessary component of homes, offices, government buildings, hospitals, schools and more.
- During the 20th century, asbestos was often added to joint drywall compounds, which is a mud-like substance that fills the empty spaces between drywall panels.
- Asbestos can also be found in old sheetrock in buildings. Sheetrock is one of the main brands of drywall and was manufactured by the United States Gypsum Company.
- Drywallers who worked from the 1930s-1980s could have been exposed to asbestos from installing, repairing, or replacing drywall. Drywallers today are only exposed to “legacy asbestos,” which is asbestos still present in the drywall of old homes.
- There are reported cases of mesothelioma among drywallers and a lot of drywall companies have filed for bankruptcy to avoid the onslaught of lawsuits against them.
What is Drywall?
Drywall, a necessary construction element, is a flat panel made of gypsum plaster placed between two sheets of thick paper. It is attached to metal or wood studs using nails or screws. Drywall is installed on interior walls or ceilings in offices, homes, schools, hospitals, government buildings, entertainment venues and more.
What is Sheetrock?
Sheetrock, sometimes used interchangeably with drywall, is just one brand of drywall – similar to Firestone as a brand of tires or Sea-Doo as a brand of jet skis. Sheetrock is a drywall brand produced by the United States Gypsum Company, or USG. There are other types of asbestos-containing drywall, but sheetrock is one of the most common.
Drywallers Job Description
Drywallers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings, including homes and offices. They spend most of the job standing, bending, or reaching, all while lifting heavy drywall panels.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were an estimated 128,400 drywall installers in the country as of 2021.
Asbestos in Drywall Installation and Repair
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral with two distinct characteristics that make it an appealing addition to drywall installation and repair: heat-resistance and durability. Asbestos can reduce heat, protect drywall from heat damage, and potentially slow the spread of fires in a building.
Asbestos can also preserve drywall panels for many years, avoiding need for repair or replacement. Drywall containing asbestos was common from the 1930s-1980s. Asbestos was often used in joint drywall compounds, which is mud-like material filling the seams between drywall panels.
Drywallers installed drywall on interior walls or ceilings and may have disturbed asbestos in the joint compounds or elsewhere, such as patching plasters, wall textures, ceiling textures, joint tape and acoustical plaster.
Asbestos Drywall Products
According to the website Asbestos123, which conducts asbestos screening and testing, the following drywall companies are just a few of those responsible for manufacturing asbestos-containing wall materials:
- Bestwall-Gypsum Company
- Hamilton Materials, Inc.
- Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.
- Kelly-Moore Paint Company
- National Gypsum Company
- Synkoloid Company
- American Biltrite
- Amtico Floors
- Armstrong World Industries
- Congoleum Corporation
- EverWear
- GAF Corporation
- Kentile Floors
- Montgomery Ward
- Sears-Roebuck
How Drywallers Were Exposed to Asbestos
Drywallers were exposed to asbestos during the 20th century by installing drywall panels, repairing panels, cutting, sanding, patching, setting, or wedging drywall parts or panels. Applying joint compound can also release asbestos fibers.
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Asbestos Exposure for Drywallers Today
Asbestos-containing materials for construction of homes and offices are no longer manufactured in the United States. The public becoming aware of the dangers of asbestos led companies to find alternatives, and in March 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency banned ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, which is the last type reportedly still used in a scarce few industries.
Therefore, drywallers who are installing drywall panels on new homes or buildings should not be exposed to asbestos. However, legacy asbestos is still a concern for drywallers.
Legacy asbestos refers to old asbestos still present in homes, offices and other buildings from the 20th century. These buildings, if they contain drywall joint compounds made with asbestos, may not have been renovated recently.
Drywallers who repair or replace drywall panels in these buildings are at risk of disturbing asbestos in the joint compounds. This work can lead to asbestos exposure.
Identifying Asbestos in Drywall
Asbestos can be white, gray, brown, blue or green. The material is fluffy or sturdy and usually looks like a miniature cloth with threads woven together.
Do not touch asbestos with your finger or another object. Even the slightest touch can break fibers and send them into the air.
If you suspect asbestos in drywall, contact a professional to remove or conceal the material. If you believe asbestos has been released in your home, contact a professional for testing. They will take an air quality sample to determine if asbestos exists.
Asbestos Diseases for Drywall Workers
The main diseases from asbestos exposure are lung cancer, mesothelioma, and a lung scarring disease called asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused only by asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is not dangerous when intact and whole. It’s a durable mineral made up of many fibers resembling strands of cloth. However, when disturbed, asbestos is very dangerous.
Disturbance can cause asbestos fibers to detach from the main source. These fibers are weightless and microscopic, meaning they float in the air undetectable to the human eye. If these fibers are inhaled or swallowed, they can travel through the body to the lung cavity or abdominal cavity.
There are thin linings in the lung and abdominal cavities. These linings are protective layers for the lungs and the many organs in the abdomen. If asbestos fibers invade these linings, they can aggravate tissue cells on either side. The cells, called mesothelial cells, can turn into mesothelioma.
According to medical articles, there are reported mesothelioma deaths among former drywall workers.
Legal Compensation for Drywallers With Mesothelioma
Compensation is available for drywallers (past or present) who were exposed to asbestos and have a deadly disease like mesothelioma or lung cancer. This compensation comes from asbestos lawsuits or, more commonly, asbestos trust fund claims. Asbestos trust funds are bank accounts with money set aside to compensate victims of asbestos diseases (such as former drywallers exposed to asbestos through drywall installation, repair or replacement).
Bestwall-Gypsum Drywall Asbestos Trust Fund
Bestwall-Gypsum, now called Bestwall LLC, which is the subsidiary company of Georgia-Pacific, is an example of an asbestos trust fund. Bestwall-Gypsum previously manufactured wallboards, joint compounds and drywall.
Georgia-Pacific purchased the company in 1965 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017. In 2020, the company pledged $1 billion to create an asbestos trust fund.
Help for Drywallers Exposed to Asbestos
If you have mesothelioma and once installed, repaired, or replaced drywall in homes, offices and other buildings, you should be compensated to help with medical bills, lost wages and more. You deserve compensation from the companies responsible for manufacturing asbestos-containing materials, such as drywall panels and drywall joint compounds.
Contact our lead patient advocate, Karen Ritter, to learn your options. Her email is karen@mesotheliomaguide.com. She can put you in touch with a legal expert or help you find treatment from a top cancer center.
Sources & Author
- Types of Drywall. Home Depot. Retrieved from: https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/types-of-drywall/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90c24feaae. Accessed: 07/04/2023.
- Sheetrock Asbestos Removal: What to Know. Atlantic Bay Contracting. Retrieved from: https://www.atlanticbaycontracting.com/post/sheetrock-asbestos-removal-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed: 07/04/2023.
- How to Identify Asbestos-Based Drywall. Asbestos123. Retrieved from: https://www.asbestos123.com/news/asbestos-in-drywall/. Accessed: 07/04/2023.
- Comparative Risks of Cancer from Drywall Finishing Based on Stochastic Modeling of Cumulative Exposures to Respirable Dusts and Chrysotile Asbestos Fibers. Risk Analysis: An International Journal. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/risa.12297. Accessed: 07/04/2023.
AI Summary of Asbestos Exposure for Drywallers
Many drywall products used during the 20th century contained asbestos, a mineral known for its heat resistance and durability. As a result, drywallers—those responsible for installing, repairing, or replacing drywall—were often exposed to asbestos fibers during their work. This exposure could occur when applying joint compound, sanding, cutting, or handling drywall panels, especially in older buildings where asbestos-containing materials remained. Although manufacturing of asbestos-containing drywall materials has ceased, certain legacy materials still exist in buildings constructed before the 1980s, posing ongoing risks for workers and residents during renovation or repairs. The presence of asbestos in drywall may not always be visible, and contact with it can release microscopic fibers into the air, which can be inhaled and cause serious health problems over time.
Drywall is a common construction material made from gypsum plaster sandwiched between two sheets of paper. It is used widely for interior walls and ceilings in homes, offices, hospitals, schools, and other buildings. A well-known brand of drywall, Sheetrock, was commonly manufactured with asbestos during its production years. Drywallers typically stand, bend, and reach while installing or repairing wall panels and ceilings, often working in indoor environments filled with dust and debris from their tasks. When working with older materials, such as joint compounds or textured coatings, there is a potential for disturbing asbestos fibers. These fibers are very small and lightweight, capable of floating in the air and being inhaled, which increases health risks significantly.
Exposure to asbestos can result in serious diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer caused exclusively by asbestos exposure. Because asbestos fibers are microscopic, they can settle in the linings of the lungs and abdomen, causing tissue irritation and cellular damage that can lead to cancer decades after the initial exposure. Although asbestos use has been strictly regulated or banned in many countries, older buildings still contain asbestos materials, making legacy exposure a concern for drywallers involved in renovation or repair work. If inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers can disrupt normal cell function, and persistent exposure increases the risk of developing these dangerous health conditions. Recognizing the risks associated with asbestos exposure is essential for anyone working in or around older buildings, especially those involved in drywall installation and repair.