Asbestos Exposure Among Shipbuilders and Shipyard Workers

History of Asbestos in Ships

World War II marked a significant era for the use of asbestos in the United States. The increased production of ships, aircraft and other military necessities meant increased use of asbestos, which is a durable, fire-resistant mineral that causes cancer.

The military’s reliance on asbestos led to exposure instances in ships, aircraft, barracks and many other war-related settings. The fallout was an alarming number of mesothelioma cases among shipbuilders and other shipyard workers.

Military asbestos exposure was a very common occurrence. Veterans of our armed forces are one of the largest occupation-based demographics affected by mesothelioma.

Asbestos Materials in Shipyards

Shipyards during the 20th century contained plenty of asbestos-containing materials to help build military ships and other vessels for the sea. The ability for asbestos to resist heat made the mineral an appealing addition to several parts of ships to prevent fires at sea, which could be deadly for crew.

Shipyard workers and shipbuilders built asbestos cements, coatings, mechanical parts, and gaskets. They also installed asbestos insulation around ship pipes, around boilers, and in walls of certain rooms with high temperatures (such as boiler rooms).

Who Was Exposed to Asbestos in Naval Shipyards?

Shipyard workers and shipbuilders who installed, maintained, or removed these materials in ships were at risk of occupational asbestos exposure during the 20th century. Even today, some workers may encounter old Navy ships with asbestos hidden in walls and insulation.

The list of workers in shipyards who likely encountered asbestos in decades past includes:

• Boilermakers
• Electricians
• Pipefitters
• Welders
• Insulation workers
• Painters
• Carpenters
• Mechanics
• Machinists
• General laborers

Actions Causing Asbestos Exposure in Shipyards

Cutting, sanding, drilling, installing, or removing asbestos materials could release dangerous fibers into the workspace. Asbestos is a fragile material, and the slightest touch could separate the fibers.

Workers may have cut asbestos insulation, or pipes with asbestos, for ships. They also may have used asbestos insulation in walls, and simply installing without delicacy or replacing pieces could send fibers into the air.

Longshoremen and Asbestos Exposure

Longshoremen were not exempt from asbestos exposure. They did not directly help with the construction of ships, but they helped transport asbestos into the shipyard.

Longshoremen were responsible for loading and unloading ships in a port, which is where they likely handled asbestos. They may have loaded raw asbestos onto ships for transportation to manufacturing facilities, or unloaded tons of the substance mined elsewhere and delivered to their location. 

Longshoremen were on the front lines of asbestos exposure. They also handled various asbestos-containing materials, such as floorboards or cement mixtures. There were numerous avenues for a longshoreman exposure to this deadly substance.

Secondary Exposure From Shipyard Workers

Asbestos exposure for shipyard workers and shipbuilders even affected their loved ones. People who worked in shipyards would bring loose, dangerous asbestos fibers into their homes via their clothing or work uniforms. Their wives, daughters, sons and other family members were at risk of secondary asbestos exposure to them despite never working in an at-risk job.

One study analyzed 274 wives, 140 daughters and 79 sons of former shipyard workers from Long Beach, California. These family members had no other known experiences with asbestos, yet many still developed an asbestos-related disease. For instance, 39% of the wives in the study reported a pleural abnormality, which could be related to pleural mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma Among Shipbuilders and Shipyard Workers

Asbestos can cause the rare cancer mesothelioma, which is diagnosed in approximately 2,500 people in the U.S. each year. Mesothelioma usually forms in the linings of the lungs and abdominal cavity. Veterans of the U.S. military make up around 33% of diagnosed cases. Shipbuilders are near the top of the list among other occupations, mostly due to the link between the U.S. military’s reliance on asbestos.

Research conducted by the pathology departments of Georgetown University and Duke University revealed the magnitude of the link between shipbuilders and asbestos diseases. In a list of 12 occupations facing a high risk of mesothelioma, shipbuilding had the most cases (289 out of 1,445).

Mesothelioma Cases From in Naval Shipyards

During World War II, and in the decades to follow, all Naval shipyard jobs were hazardous due to the presence of asbestos. One study of 32 mesothelioma cancer cases found that 13 of the cases involved people who worked previously in a shipyard.

A different study analyzed the rates of diseases among more than 4,000 civilian workers at a U.S. Coast Guard shipyard. Mesothelioma had a significantly higher mortality rate among these workers compared to the general public.

In fact, each job group had an increased mortality rate from mesothelioma. The people who passed away due to this cancer were:

“Increased risks for mesothelioma were observed for many occupational groups,” the report reads, “… indicating that asbestos exposure was probably widespread, which has been noted in shipyards by others.”

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Legal Options for Shipyard Workers and Shipbuilders With Mesothelioma

Companies sold asbestos products to shipyards and companies building Navy ships and other vessels. These companies profited for decades off of using asbestos.

Their actions posed health risks for shipyard workers across the United States during the 20th century. Even after the 1980s, when asbestos use dropped, old ships carrying asbestos reached shipyards and put workers at risk.

Workers with mesothelioma or another asbestos illness have every right to take legal action. Doing so may keep future shipyard workers from encountering the same hazardous materials in building and repairing ships.

Lawsuits and Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Mesothelioma lawsuits and mesothelioma trust funds are the two main options shipbuilders and shipyard workers have on the legal side. Workers do not usually file lawsuits against the U.S. government even if they built a Navy ship with asbestos. The companies that sold asbestos to the government are responsible.

Asbestos trust funds are bank accounts providing quick compensation to victims of asbestos exposure. The payouts are usually less than from a lawsuit, which can lead to a settlement or verdict topping $1 million.

Shipbuilders and shipyard workers can file multiple lawsuits, multiple trust fund claims, or a combination of both. Usually, there are several companies that made errors in how they used and sold asbestos – often knowing the material was harmful but choosing to keep this information secret.

Example of a Shipyard Worker Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit

A former shipyard worker from New Orleans is an example of why we urge victims to file mesothelioma lawsuits. Henry P., a 74-year-old man who resides in Texas, received a favorable $10.3 million verdict.

His attorney filed his case in New Orleans, where he worked in the 1960s as a longshoreman at the city’s port. The case was against Ports America Gulfport, Inc., Atlantic & Gulf, Cooper T. Smith Stevedoring Co., and South African Marine.

Henry worked as a longshoreman for 4-5 years in New Orleans during the 1960s, when the United States economy still heavily relied on asbestos.

Help for Shipyard Workers and Shipbuilders With Mesothelioma

If you have mesothelioma now and worked in a shipyard during the mid-20th century, please reach out to our team. We can also help if you have mesothelioma and are the spouse or child of a shipyard worker. Our staff can provide support options for you and your loved ones as you face your diagnosis and treatment. You should also consider taking legal action, as many shipbuilders and shipyard workers have received mesothelioma compensation to help pay for medical care.

Please email one of our patient advocates, Carl Jewett, at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com for help in learning about your shipyard asbestos exposure.

Sources & Author

1. Malignant Mesothelioma and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos: an Analysis of 1445 Cases. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12036093/. Accessed: 08/11/2020.
2. Domestic Asbestos Exposure: A Review of Epidemiologic and Exposure Data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3863863/. Accessed: 08/14/2020.
3. Mortality among shipyard Coast Guard workers: a retrospective cohort study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2078389/. Accessed: 08/14/2020.

About the Writer, Devin Golden

Devin Golden is the senior content writer for Mesothelioma Guide. He produces mesothelioma-related content on various mediums, including the Mesothelioma Guide website and social media channels. Devin's objective is to translate complex information regarding mesothelioma into informative, easily absorbable content to help patients and their loved ones.