Shipyard Asbestos Exposure
Throughout the past century, tens of thousands of Americans have toiled at the country's shipyards. They were dedicated employees who worked long hours, especially during the war years, to ensure that the U.S. and her soldiers would be well protected, both here and abroad.
Shipyard workers performed all sorts of duties, worked in cramped spaces, and produced some of the most magnificent vessels that ever sailed the open seas. However, while they were doing their jobs with hardly a complaint, many of them were exposed to a dangerous mineral that would later wreak havoc with their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
Asbestos has long been a silent killer of those who worked in the nation's shipyards. The once-dubbed "miracle mineral" was used nearly everywhere in America's ships, from boiler rooms to crew's quarters. And because shipyard workers were unaware of the dangers of the mineral, they worked with it on a daily basis without wearing any sort of protective gear, such as respirators or even simple face masks.
The result is that - decades later - shipyard workers have the highest rate of mesothelioma of any industry in the country. As a matter of fact, an estimated 85% of all shipyard workers who worked at their jobs for 20 years or more suffer from some sort of asbestos-related disease.
Shipyard asbestos exposure was especially rampant during World War II, when shipyards were at their busiest. New ships made widespread use of asbestos and ships that needed repair after doing battle often contained damaged asbestos, which released dangerous asbestos fibers. Shipyard workers would remove this asbestos with their bare hands and while wearing no protective clothing. Asbestos dust was literally everywhere. There is even evidence of secondary asbestos exposure among those who worked in shipyard offices, as asbestos was often carried into these offices on the clothing and hair of employees who regularly worked with the dangerous mineral. Even family members of shipyard workers have developed asbestos-related diseases over the years.
Shipyard asbestos exposure is still a real threat for shipyard employees that work on older ships. Anyone doing repair work on old vessels should always be on the lookout for asbestos and should ALWAYS wear respirators and other protective clothing while performing their duties.