Shipyard Worker Asbestos Exposure

The shipbuilding industry has been, historically, one of the industries that is most affected by asbestos-caused diseases.  Shipyards in America, especially prior to and during the years of World War II, employed literally millions of military and civilian workers.  As it was important for the United States to have a large and strong navy, shipbuilding became a priority of the late 1930s and 1940s and the need for new and better ships continued until the 1980s.

Shipyard Workers and Asbestos

Shipyard occupations are many and varied.  They include:

• Boiler Technicians
• Construction Mechanics
• Damage Controlmen
• Electronics Technicians
• Enginemen
• Fire Control Technicians
• Plumbers
• Insulators
• Welders
• Electricians

The millions who worked at the nation’s shipyards prior to the mid-1970s may have been exposed to asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, used in abundance in war vessels and other naval ships.  Pipe coverings, wall insulation, gaskets, turbines, cement, and pumps often contained asbestos and the handling of this equipment, especially when damaged, may have resulted in inhalation of fibers.

Asbestos exposure occurred not only in the building of new ships but also in the repair and demolition of old ships.  Workers would often rip up insulation and other asbestos-containing materials with their bare hands and without benefit of protective gear.  Most certainly, they were inhaling asbestos on a regular basis.

Even those who didn’t build or repair the ships may have been exposed as well, such as longshoremen or even office workers.  Asbestos dust was often carried on the clothes and hair of those who worked with the material and it was easily spread to fellow workers.

If you are one of a multitude of shipyard workers who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s important to know that you’re not alone.  It’s also important to understand that you have legal rights as a mesothelioma sufferer.  For more information on the disease, its treatment, and your legal options, please send for our free Mesothelioma Resource Kit.