Metal Lathers
A metal lather is an individual who works with metal and/or wood lath, which are thin strips that are usually nailed in rows to framing supports as a substructure for plaster, shingles, slates or tiles.
Lathers may be involved in a variety of projects within the construction industry. The lather:
- Cuts and fits metal lath, wire mesh or gypsum lath and attaches to studding or furring by nailing, clipping, tying or stapling.
- Installs corner beads, moldings, base screeds and other reinforcements.
- Lays out jobs from plans or blueprints.
- Cuts, fits and installs wood or metal studding or furring strips.
- Buildings framework for cornices, archways, etc.
- Tears down old plaster in preparation for re-plastering.
- Hangs suspended ceilings by various methods used in the trade.
Metal Lathers and Asbestos
As is evident by the amount and types of work they perform, metal lathers were and continue to be quite susceptible to developing asbestos-related diseases. Specifically, lathers of old may have been exposed to asbestos-containing cement, which was often used to cover the metal lathing. This cement was made from sand, Portland cement, and up to 10% asbestos fibers. The asbestos, in this case, was used not for its fire-proofing properties but as a thickening agent. Handling cement became a hazard when it was scraped, sanded, drilled, sawed or manipulated in some other way, therefore causing dangerous fibers to be released into the air. This may have happened during new cement applications or during repairs.
Lathers may have also encountered asbestos insulated pipes during their various job responsibilities. At times, the lather had to affix metal lathing to these pipes in order to hold the insulation in place exactly where it was intended to be. Again, this process may have included drilling or sawing, releasing fibers that may have been inhaled by lathers and other workers in the vicinity.
Working in close quarters also promotes the inhalation of these fibers, and because lathers often squeezed into small places to complete their tasks, inhalation was a common occurrence.
Face masks would have helped metal lathers avoid some of the dangers of asbestos, but because they were unaware of the hazards, such protective gear was rarely worn. Today, metal lathers that have jobs working in older structures that may contain asbestos should always wear a respirator or face mask.
Metal lathing is just one of the many professions within the construction industry that have been affected by asbestos-related diseases. For decades, working with asbestos was the norm, and now - 40-50 years later - lathers are being diagnosed with serious asbestos diseases, including mesothelioma.
Last modified: December 17 2007.
