During the twentieth century, asbestos was used in thousands of products across many industries. Asbestos was so desirable for use in building materials because it was inexpensive, durable, insulating and resistant to heat and flame. Plaster, drywall and joint compounds were among these products that often contained asbestos filler.
Plasterers are laborers tasked with finishing walls, applying plaster, creating textures, and prepping walls for paint. Each of these tasks could have created a risk of asbestos exposure for plasterers. Asbestos is most dangerous when small fibers are made airborne, where they can be inhaled or ingested. When a plasterer mixed, sprayed, cut, or sanded asbestos plaster, drywall and joint compounds asbestos dust was created in the work space. When asbestos dust is ingested it can become lodged in organ tissue causing inflammation and scarring that may lead to the development of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.
In addition to asbestos exposure created by the materials that a plasterer may have handled directly, these skilled workers often worked in the same environment as other tradesmen on construction sites. Airborne asbestos created by these other workers also put plasterers at risk of asbestos exposure.
Unfortunately, millions of people have been exposed to asbestos over the years. Only now are we able to see the disastrous effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Generally, it takes 10 to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until symptoms appear or mesothelioma is diagnosed.
Many of the companies have established trust funds to pay compensation to persons injured by asbestos.
If you have mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related injury, and wish to consult an attorney about your legal rights to compensation, CLICK HERE for a free consultation.
