The study shows that historical dust levels for drywall workers according to Surviving Mesothelioma have likely exceeded current mesothelioma safety standards

Drywall work can increase the risk of mesothelioma

The mean 8-hour TWA concentrations of respirable dust and chrysotile fibers are numerically highest for specialists …

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB)
November 30, 2014

Researchers say that drywall specialists who have worked in older buildings tend to breathe more dust than is currently considered safe and that exposure could increase their risk of fatal malignant pleural mesothelioma. Surviving Mesothelioma just posted the story on their website. Click here to read it now.

Scientists at ENVIRON International Corporation in Chicago gathered information on groups of workers exposed to drywall dust. By the mid-1970s, most drywall was built with a grout containing asbestos, the main cause of mesothelioma.

“On a task basis, we found that the average 8-hour TWA concentrations of respirable dust and chrysotile fibers are numerically highest for specialists, followed by generalists, DIY enthusiasts and bystanders,” writes lead author Fred Boelter.

According to the report in Risk Analysis, concentrations of mesothelioma-causing dust are higher than current safety standards.

“Since we still don’t know how much asbestos is needed to cause mesothelioma, a study like this one is a reminder to DIY enthusiasts in particular that we must all be careful to limit exposure to drywall dust,” says the senior editor of surviving mesothelioma. Alex Strauss.

To find out which other groups of people in the study may also be at risk of mesothelioma from drywall dust, see Dusty Job May Increase Mesothelioma, which is available now on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Boelter, FW, “Comparative cancer risks from drywall work based on the stachastic modeling of the cumulative exposure to respirable dusts and chrysotile asbestos fibers”, November 25, 2014, risk analysis, Epub before going to press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25428276

For nearly a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and groundbreaking news about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of mesothelioma. All the news about surviving mesothelioma is collected and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Surviving Mesothelioma News is written for patients and their loved ones, helping families make better informed decisions.

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