Ever since 1767, naval shipyards have been essential to the United States’ seagoing defense. These government-owned and operated facilities exist to ensure effective and timely maintenance of the Navy’s ships to meet required fleet readiness. However, during the years between the 1930s and 1980, a significant amount of work done on these vessels involved the use of asbestos, exposing an estimated 4.5 million people to the risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Why Did the Navy Use Asbestos in Its Shipyards?
Asbestos is a mineral that is heat resistant and strong. Because of these characteristics, as well as its accessibility and low cost, the U.S. military used asbestos-containing materials in countless applications where heat resistance, insulation, and fireproofing were essential. These applications included brakes, gaskets, valves, cement, adhesives, and floor and pipe coverings called lagging.[1]
The Navy used asbestos more expansively than any other branch of service. The busiest time for shipbuilding was during the World War II years when it was used in both shipyards and the ships themselves. The ships contained multiple asbestos-containing materials in the engine rooms, boiler rooms, and other areas below deck for fire safety purposes, while shipyards were constantly exposed to the material during shipbuilding, repairs, and maintenance. Spray-on asbestos insulation was used on hulls, ship walls, and boiler rooms, and asbestos adhesives were used to create seals and make repairs.
In addition to the asbestos that was used on the ships themselves, Navy yard workers were also exposed to the material from construction that took place on the sites themselves. It was common for structures in the yard to be made of corrugated asbestos sheeting. As materials were cut to fit, toxic dust filled the air and was swept into piles in work areas. These particles were inhaled and ingested by shipyard workers and remained in the cells of their airways and intestinal tracts, putting them at risk for many asbestos-related diseases.
Because asbestos was used so extensively in ship construction and fittings, Navy yard workers were exposed during the building process, as well as any time that a ship came in for repairs, and even for decommissioning. Not only did this put workers at risk, it also created a contamination problem in the shipyards themselves. Some sites dumped asbestos-containing materials on their grounds, creating an additional source of risk that led to heavy asbestos contamination requiring environmental cleanup, with some being added to the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of Superfund sites.
Asbestos Use in Navy Yards
Asbestos was used extensively in the Navy shipbuilding process, including in the workshops and structures on Navy yard sites. There were thousands of products, materials, and pieces of equipment that contained the carcinogenic material and that put Navy and civilian workers at risk. They include:
- Pipe insulation
- Spray-on insulation
- Other types of insulation
- Boilers
- Bulkheads
- Pumps
- Concrete
- Floor tiling
- Machinery casing
- Ceiling material
- Doors
- Wall panels
- Sealants
- Paints
- Lagging Cloth
- Adhesives
- Gaskets
- Pipes
- Boiler cladding
- Furnace firebricks
- Welding materials
- Safety equipment and protective clothing
What Type of Health Risks Did Asbestos Exposure Pose in Navy Yards?
Though undisturbed asbestos poses little to no risk to people who are exposed to it, when the material is disturbed or damaged it breaks down into tiny fibers that float freely in the air and are easily inhaled. The type of work done in Navy yards involved cutting, ripping, sanding, manipulation, and in many other ways damaging asbestos-containing materials to the point where fibers were released. This put everybody in the vicinity of the work at risk of asbestos-related illness. The potential health risks include:
- Pleural plaques. These are scars of the pleural membrane, which is the lining that surrounds the lungs. They do not always lead to symptoms but are frequently seen on chest X-rays or CAT scans. They are considered proof of asbestos exposure for those seeking compensation from the VA as well as for those pursuing asbestos lawsuits.
- Asbestosis. This serious condition is a scarring of the lung tissue that causes shortness of breath, chronic cough, and other health effects, including a higher risk of lung infection and pneumonia. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.
- Asbestos–related lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, their needle-like ends can get embedded in the pleural lining of the lungs or the lungs themselves. This leads to cell death and mutations that grow into deadly tumors. Asbestos-related cancers and mesothelioma take decades to develop symptoms and are generally very advanced at the time they are diagnosed. Navy veterans and naval shipyard workers represent the majority of people diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
- Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. This form of mesothelioma forms in the abdominal cavity. It is thought to be caused by ingesting asbestos fibers.
- Malignant pericardial mesothelioma. This form of mesothelioma forms in the lining of the cavity where the heart is located. It is exceedingly rare.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is an umbrella term for a group of irreversible lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult to breathe. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common conditions that make up COPD. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, or a chronic cough.
Which Navy Yard Employees Were at Risk for Asbestos Exposure?
Navy yard employees who were potentially exposed to asbestos on the job include:
- Naval architects
- Naval officers
- Nautical and structural engineers
- Welders
- Steamfitters
- Electricians
- Machine operators
- Crane operators
- Government officials and inspectors
- Repair workers
- Clerical workers
- Boiler workers
- Civilian contractors
- Demolition or shipbreaking workers
- Laborers
- Longshoreman
- Pipefitters
- Painters
- Plumbers
- Electrical engineers
- Insulators
- Ironworkers
- Carpenters
- Janitors
- Truck drivers transporting materials
In addition to those who worked directly with asbestos-containing materials, Navy yard employees who simply walked through the site were exposed to the deadly material. Additionally, the family members of Navy yard workers were at risk of secondary exposure to the deadly fibers carried into their homes after the workday. This type of carry-home asbestos exposure even affected employees of the sandwich shops and diners that the workers frequented for meals during or after work.
Continuing Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Navy Yards
Though the majority of the risk to those working in Navy yards occurred between the 1930s and 1980, when asbestos was used in construction, maintenance, and repair, those who work at Navy yards today continue to face risk from legacy asbestos that contaminated the facilities decades ago, as well as from continuing efforts to remove any asbestos-containing materials that are discovered.
The work of ripping out, cleaning up, and disposing of asbestos can expose Navy yard workers to its deadly fibers unless the work is done in strict compliance with regulations. They also face risk if they are doing repair, maintenance, or restoration work on older Navy vessels in which old asbestos materials may still be hidden. The Navy has created comprehensive programs to protect its workers. These programs require the use of protective clothing and equipment by asbestos workers, monitoring of airborne asbestos fibers in areas where asbestos work is being done, procedures for cleaning up and disposing of asbestos waste, formal training programs, and medical surveillance for asbestos workers.
If properly implemented, these programs should provide adequate protection against the health hazards that could result from asbestos exposure. However, not all shipyards have enough staff to adequately monitor and enforce their programs, and some workers and supervisors skip protective measures because they slow down the work. Personal protective clothing and equipment are sometimes not used or are used improperly because they are uncomfortable or hot, and some workers open the clothing to cool off despite the risk doing so poses.
Can Navy Yard Workers Sickened by Asbestos Receive Compensation?
Civilian workers and veterans who are diagnosed with an asbestos illness like mesothelioma have a few options for seeking compensation for the harms that they’ve suffered, and the same is true of their surviving family members after a death, but it is important to reach out to an experienced asbestos attorney as soon as possible to ensure that you will be able to file a claim.
Navy Yard Asbestos Lawsuits
The companies that supplied asbestos materials to Navy yards may be held liable for exposure and illness in workers. Some notable lawsuits filed by Navy yard workers and veterans include:
- A claim was filed by the daughters of a woman who died of pleural mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos blown downwind from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard into their neighborhood and brought home on their Navy machinist father’s work clothes.
- A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Foster Wheeler by the family of a man who’d been a laborer and machinist at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco between 1965 and 1972. During that time, he worked aboard several different ships, including the USS Constellation and USS Bradley.
- Ronald and Judith Wilgenbusch filed a personal injury lawsuit against Metalclad Insulation LLC and other companies following Ronald’s diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. He had served in the U.S. Navy from 1956 through 1978 and was exposed to the company’s asbestos-contaminated materials when he worked at several Navy yards throughout his career. The couple won their lawsuit, with the jury assessing economic damages of $795,000 and noneconomic damages of 1.75 million dollars.
- Donald Johnson’s family filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the manufacturers of engine gaskets that he’d worked with at the Boston Naval Shipyard. Three of his coworkers testified that the work environment at the yard from 1966 through 1967 was constantly filled with visible asbestos dust.
If you worked at a Navy yard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos lawyer can help you identify the companies responsible for your exposure based on which Navy yard you worked at. They can review your case for free and help you start a lawsuit if that is an option. They can also help you prepare an application for compensation with an asbestos bankruptcy trust if that is appropriate, or make a claim to the Veterans Administration for disability benefits. Navy veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma are entitled to a disability rating of 100%. They are also able to receive free treatment at VA medical centers, as well as referrals to specialized mesothelioma treatment centers.
Navy Yards With Known Asbestos Use
- Bremerton Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (Washington)
- Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York)
- Charleston Naval Shipyard (Massachusetts)
- Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard (Maryland)
- Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (California)
- Long Beach Naval Shipyard (California)
- Mare Island Naval Shipyard (California)
- Mayport Naval Shipyard (Florida)
- Naval Submarine Base (Connecticut)
- Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (Hawaii)
- Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (Pennsylvania)
- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (Maine)
- Sampson Naval Training Station (New York)
- San Diego Naval Shipyard (California)
- Washington Navy Yard (Washington, D.C.)
If you or someone you love worked at any of these Navy yards and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s a good idea to reach out to an asbestos attorney as soon as possible so that you can learn about your options and preserve your rights.
