Shipyard Workers and Mesothelioma

Between the early 1930s and the middle of the 1970s, it was nearly impossible to avoid asbestos on a U.S. Navy ship or other large maritime vessel. Because of its ability to resist heat and flame, asbestos was used in nearly every part of a ship, from the boiler room to the sleeping quarters. The high concentration of asbestos aboard ships affected not only those who went to sea, but also those who built and repaired these ships in our nation’s shipyards.

Shipyard workers and asbestos — Asbestos was comonly used in large ships, leaving workers vulnerable to exposure.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, the only known cause of which is exposure to asbestos. Because of their daily handling of asbestos-containing products and materials, shipyard workers are especially vulnerable to the lethal disease. Hundreds of thousands of machinists, welders, painters, plumbers, carpenters, engineers, and electricians have been exposed to toxic levels of asbestos in shipyards, and many have developed mesothelioma and serious respiratory diseases as a result.

If you or a member of your family has worked, or is currently working, at a shipyard, it is highly likely that you have been exposed to asbestos. This is particularly true of those who worked at shipyards prior to the late 1970s, when the use of asbestos in new ships was phased out; mesothelioma can take decades to manifest itself, so even those who have been removed from the shipbuilding and ship repair industries for years remain at high risk. However, even those who have been working at shipyards since the 1980s may be at risk of asbestos exposure, especially if they are involved in the repair of older vessels.

To learn more about your risk of mesothelioma as a shipyard worker, or your legal rights and options if you have already been diagnosed with the disease, please contact a qualified asbestos attorney today.

Asbestos on Ships and Other Vessels

Virtually every military ship and large commercial vessel built between the early 1930s and the mid-1970s contains asbestos. These vessels include:

Aircraft Carriers
Barges
Battleships
Cargo ships
Cruisers
Destroyers
Fishing boats
Oil tankers
Submarines

The most common asbestos-containing materials used at shipyards include:

Boiler insulation
Cement
Floor, ceiling, and wall insulation
Furnace insulation
Gaskets
Nuclear reactor insulation
Paint
Pipe covering and insulation
Pumps
Turbines
Valves

Contact a Mesothelioma Lawyer

If you are a shipyard worker, whether retired or actively employed, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses and expenses stemming from your disease. Please contact a qualified mesothelioma lawyer for further information about your legal rights and options.