Drywallers
A drywall mechanic is a carpenter who specializes in the installation of drywall. The drywall mechanic may also do the finishing work of "mudding and taping", or this part of the task may be done by a drywall finisher, known as a mudman or taper.
Drywallers & Asbestos Exposure
Drywall workers (both installers and tapers) are at high risk of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos has been once widely used in many building materials including plaster, drywall tape and drywall joint compound.
Drywall is a thin layer of gypsum between two layers of heavy paper. It is commonly used to build or replace walls and ceilings. It became popular for this use, especially during World War II, because it is faster and more economical than installing plaster.
Drywall installers fasten panels to a framework inside the building. They have to cut the drywall panels for fitting them around windows and doorways. They also have to create cut-outs for plumbing, electric outlet and vents. Asbestos can be disturbed during their job.
Drywall tapers (finishers) seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboards, mix sealing compound, press paper tape over joints to embed tape into compound and seal joints, or tape joints using mechanical applicators that spread compound and embed tape in one operation. They sand rough spots after compound dries, fill cracks and holes in walls and may apply texturing compound and primer to walls and ceilings preparatory to final finishing, using brushes, roller, or spray gun. They may countersink nails or screws below the surface of walls prior to applying sealing compound, using a hammer or a screwdriver.
Asbestos containing dust can be generated during wall renovation or demolition of buildings constructed prior to 1980s. Any work involving asbestos-containing drywall products have to be carried out with great care.
A recent NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) found that drywall sanders were exposed to as much as 10 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3 for total dust set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The OSHA PEL for respirable dust (5 mg/m3), the very small particles that can go deep into the lungs, was also exceeded.
In March 2007, a San Francisco jury had ordered a manufacturer and supplier of asbestos-containing joint compound, spray texture, and acoustical ceiling spray to pay the family of a former drywall taper more than $8 million.
