Established in 1955, the Rochester Davis-Fetch Corporation is a specialty contractor involved in the installation of acoustical ceilings, drywall, plaster and fireproofing materials. Prior to federal regulations placed on asbestos in the late 1970s, asbestos was incorporated into dozens of building materials utilized by Davis-Fetch, including ceiling tile, joint compound (mud) and fireproof insulation. Employees of Davis-Fetch also worked in close proximity to workers who installed asbestos-containing pipe covering, block insulation and insulating cement. Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, as well as lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.

The Davis-Fetch Corporation was a well known fireproofing contractor. Fireproof insulation applied by Davis-Fetch was a mixture of asbestos, cement and waste materials from linen mills. It was packaged in bags, dumped into a machine, mixed with water and sprayed onto structural steel. Mixing and spraying the insulation produced clouds of asbestos-containing dust, which workers subsequently inhaled. Ironworkers, plumbers, carpenters and electricians who worked with rebar and conduits in the vicinity of where fireproofing materials were being applied, were also put at risk for exposure to asbestos fibers.

Davis-Fetch also installed asbestos-containing ceiling tiles at numerous commercial locations. Simply handling ceiling tiles produced asbestos-containing dust. In order to accommodate irregular parts of a ceiling, or to allow for ventilation and lighting, it was often necessary to cut ceiling tiles using a jab saw. Cutting the ceiling tiles also emitted asbestos dust and fibers.

Workers employed by Davis-Fetch used asbestos-containing joint compound to seal seams between sheets of drywall. Joint compound was manufactured as either ready-mix (an application-ready product) or as dry mix (a powder that requires water in order to form a paste for application). Dry mix joint compound was packaged in fifty-pound paper bags, and it was mixed in a bucket with water. Pouring and mixing joint compound caused asbestos-containing dust to become airborne. In order to finish drywall, several coats of joint compound were applied to the seams between each piece of drywall. After one coat of joint compound dried, it was sanded before the next coat was applied. Sanding joint compound also emitted asbestos dust and fibers.

Inhaling dust and particles from the application of asbestos-containing materials placed workers at risk for developing serious health problems. Even those who were not in direct contact with asbestos materials remain at risk for the development of an asbestos-related disease. If you or a loved one once worked for Rochester Davis-Fetch Corporation and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, please contact us for a free case evaluation.