Shipyard Asbestos Exposure
Shipyard workers have the highest rate of mesothelioma among all occupations that are considered at risk for developing this aggressive cancer. It’s easy to understand why. For several decades in the 20th century, shipbuilders made extensive use of asbestos materials.
The U.S. military was no exception. At the peak of shipbuilding just prior to and during World War II, literally hundreds of thousands of Americans worked in shipyards around the country, including several large yards in the New York City area. These workers were consistently exposed to hazardous asbestos, which was used in literally ever corner of the ship thanks to its reputation as an excellent insulator. Not only could one find asbestos insulation or other asbestos-containing products in expected places such as the boiler room or covering steam and water pipes or fuel lines, but asbestos may have even been in the walls, floors, or ceilings surrounding bunk rooms, galleys, and mess halls aboard the nation’s war ships. Anyone who was involved in construction of these ships may have been exposed.
In addition, many shipyards performed repairs on ships returning from the war zone, both during World War II and the later wars like the Korean or Vietnam conflicts. When ships are damaged, often so is the asbestos inside. That means anyone performing repairs may have been subject to exposure.
Because the hazards of asbestos were not widely known during this time, especially by those who worked in the yards, most employees did not wear protective clothing while working, including masks or respirators that would have prevented inhalation. Therefore, fibers were inhaled and, sometimes decades later, shipyard workers – both civilian and military – would discover that they had developed an asbestos-related disease.