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How Can a Painter Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos?
Painters apply paint and other coatings to walls and structures. Asbestos was contained in paints and other materials that painters often came into direct contact with, such as drywall, plaster or joint compound. As painters worked, they could breathe in these dangerous asbestos-containing materials.
Painters may have worked in various capacities where they could have been exposed to asbestos. For example, some painters worked on shipyards. Shipbuilding hit a peak between World War II and the Vietnam War, a time period also known for the proliferation of asbestos products. The Navy needed more vessels during this time and used asbestos in over 300 components aboard their commissioned ships.
Industrial painters applied paint, enamel and varnishes to surfaces in industrial settings, including on machinery. Many pieces of machinery were insulated with asbestos, so workers in this area could breathe in dangerous asbestos fibers.
Painters also often work in the construction industry, which is considered the riskiest profession for possible asbestos exposure today. Some construction materials are still made with asbestos-containing materials today. Those who work in home renovation and demolition are also at an increased likelihood of being exposed to asbestos that becomes dislodged from products that were made to construct the property, such as drywall, adhesives, sealants, paints, insulation and other materials. When these brittle materials become dislodged, painters and other construction workers could breathe in toxic asbestos fibers.
Common job duties of painters include:
- Apply paint, stain and coatings to walls and ceilings
- Apply primers or sealers
- Paint machinery, items and structures
- Remove and replace outlet and switch covers
- Install scaffolding
- Fill holes and cracks with putty
- Prepare surfaces by sanding to a smooth finish
- Use hand and power tools
Locations in the United States for the Highest Employment Rates for Painters
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 375,600 people employed within the category “painters, construction and maintenance.” States with the highest employment rates for painters include:
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Washington
Similar Occupations as Painters
Similar occupations as painters include the following:
- Carpenters
- Construction laborers and helpers
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers
- Flooring installers
- Hazardous materials removal workers
- Roofers
- Tile and marble setters
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Painters and Mesothelioma
There have been a few notable cases involving painters and mesothelioma. In 2018, a California jury awarded $22 million to the estate of a man who was exposed to talc that contained asbestos in paint manufacturing. The man was a paint maker. His family alleged he was exposed to asbestos while working at a chemical company. He later developed mesothelioma, from which he died. The verdict included $4.6 million in punitive damages against talc companies that the jury found were responsible for marketing, selling and distributing the talc.
Another notable case involved a unionized painter who spent the majority of his career painting with texturized top coats and fillers manufactured by various companies like Bondex International, Kelly Moore and Union Carbide. He was awarded $11 million after taking the manufacturers to trial.
Studies Related to Paint and Asbestos
A number of important studies have explored the connection between painters and asbestos exposure. One North Carolina study found elevated rates of lung cancer in painters and other people involved in the construction industry. Many of these workers used spackling compounds that contained asbestos. They would apply these compounds on surfaces before painting them. Some of the workers used paint or textured coatings that specifically listed asbestos as an ingredient.
In Occupational Exposure as a Painter, researchers explained that asbestos was used as a filler in paints, especially in those used in shipyards and on bridges. These paints contained approximately 20% of their weight in asbestos. While these paints reduced in use in about 1950, asbestos continued to be contained in paints largely used for home decoration well into the 1990s.
Several mesothelioma and lung cancer registries have identified higher disease rates in former painters and construction workers.
Another study found airborne asbestos fiber concentrations that were five times higher than the legal exposure limit during painting activities. These levels were even higher when the workers used power tools or mixed drywall cement.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Painters
Painters may have been exposed to asbestos found in products they commonly used, including:
- Paint
- Coatings and glosses
- Textured coatings
- Fillers
- Drying agents
- Joint or drywall compound
- Tape
- Wall tile backing
- Paneling
- Drywall
- House siding
- Cement siding
- Shingles
Manufacturers of Products Used by Painters
Some of the manufacturers of products used by painters include:
- Bondex International, Inc.
- Hamilton Materials, Inc.
- Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.
- Kelly-Moore Paint Company
- Murco Wall Products
- Proko Industries, Inc.
- Sherwin-Williams Paint Company
- Synkoloid Company
- Union Carbide
- S. Gypsum Company
- R. Grace & Co.
