Drywall Tapers

Drywall began to be used in the construction of buildings in the early 20^th century when it was recognized as a better alternative to plaster. Drywall provided a quicker process to plaster and actually helped tremendously during World War II when military buildings needed to be structured quickly and efficiently. It was invented by the U.S. Gypsum Company and was called Drywall because it was hung on the wall dry rather than going on like plaster which required a wet process which could take days or weeks to be completely dry. Drywall is also referred to by other names such as Sheetrock, Gypsum Board, Plasterboard, Wallboard, and Rock Lath. Whichever name is used, drywall always consists of the same materials which are gypsum and paper.

Drywall tapers follow the work of drywall installers. Drywall installers take the sheets of drywall and hang it to the framed out walls by using a simple hammer and nails. After the drywall installation is complete, drywall tapers move in to cover the nail marks with spackle and then use tape to cover the joints and spacing between the sheets of drywall. Drywall tapers also use a joint compound or spackle to hold the tape in place and then use sanding instruments to ensure a smooth surface that blends well with the surrounding drywall. While this might sounds like an easy process, a good taping job requires an ample amount of experience, especially for the more difficult taping projects. There is also a need to pay attention to the aesthetic look of the taping job to make sure that the drywall does not look separate from the tape.

Drywall tapers have been known to be exposed to asbestos, the contaminant causing lung diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis, due to the materials they used on a daily basis. Up until the 1980's, numerous drywall products contained asbestos, including various joint compounds. Asbestos was included in joint compounds for its cohesive characteristics. Asbestos was also used in additional drywall products including drywall tape, cement, patching compounds, and even plaster. As the drywall taper would work around the drywall products, dust containing asbestos fibers would be released into the air. As the hazards of the dust were not well known in the past, the drywall taper would most likely not be protecting him or her from breathing in the asbestos fibers. Due to this fact, exposure to asbestos became a very real possibility for drywall tapers.

While many drywall tapers were exposed to asbestos containing drywall products during new installation before the 1980's, asbestos exposure to drywall tapers is still a real threat. As we have seen during the building booms in our surrounding area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, drywall tapers have been very busy with renovation and rehabilitation projects on buildings and structures. As real estate began to hit record highs, many buildings in our area and the rest of the country began to be restored to create additional value. While many of these buildings were built before the 1980's, asbestos products still can potentially exist in the drywall. If a drywall installer and drywall taper are called in to replace or cut into the drywall, asbestos fibers could potentially be released and inhaled by the workers. Asbestos fibers could also become trapped in the drywall taper's clothing and transported to unsuspecting family members and friends.

There have been numerous cases of drywall tapers bringing litigation against their former employers and asbestos containing product manufacturers for failure to properly warn workers of potential asbestos exposure. One example case came in 2007 when a jury in California awarded over $800,000 to a drywall taper's family after he was exposed to asbestos containing drywall products and developed asbestosis as a result. Another drywall taper in Indiana received over $2 million dollars in a settlement for exposure to asbestos containing drywall products. A third example of asbestos litigation from drywall workers comes from the company that invented drywall to begin with. U.S. Gypsum received so many asbestos lawsuits in regard to their drywall products that the company eventually filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001.

If you are a drywall taper in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, or the rest of the United States, it is imperative that you take all precautions when working with drywall products and materials that may contain asbestos. If you believe that you have been exposed to drywall products containing asbestos, immediately seek medical attention and contact an asbestos lawyer to understand your legal rights.