Joint compound was identified as being a plaster-like substance of white color when it was applied. In stores, the joint compound was sold both as a powder and as an already mixed paste. The asbestos fibers were added into the mixture of this product in order to increase its flame and moisture resistance.

The asbestos exposure usually happened in three instances: if it wasn’t ready-mixed, the workers had to manually mix the powdered product; when it was applied, it usually needed the worker sanding it; or when it required removal. In all of these cases, asbestos dust would contaminate the environment. You could have been exposed if: