AsbestosAsbestos Industry
Who is at Risk?Shipyard Workers
History and Background
The twentieth century saw the United States emerge onto the world stage as the strongest country economically and militarily. As the country rose in prominence, its navy and merchant fleets grew dramatically, mainly during the years of the two World Wars and during the Cold War arms race. There was a constant need for the newer ships with advanced technology that caused shipbuilding to become one of the most important industries during that century. In fact it is noted that during America's participation in World War II (1941-1945) shipbuilding was the nation's largest industry employing over 4 million people. While the need for ships has declined since the end of the Cold War, shipbuilding is still an important occupation that employs thousands of workers today in construction and maintenance.
There are many different occupations at the shipyards across America, from design work to construction and cleanup. Many different people do many different things. Until the mid 1970s asbestos was often used on ships as a form of insulation and fire-proofing material. As discussed below it is now known to be hazardous if its dust is inhaled. While it is not used much anymore, asbestos is still present on older vessels. As a result, practically anyone who worked in a shipyard could have been exposed to asbestos dust. Even the longshoremen who loaded products onto the ships could have been exposed as it was oftentimes these men who carried the insulation products on board.
Asbestos Usage in Shipyards
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is extremely strong and is heat and fire-resistant making it nearly ideal as a form of insulation. It can also be mixed with other materials to form a compound that can be used in gaskets, as well as to seal pipes and valves. Often the compound came in a powder form that was made by mixing it with water. Creating the compound put asbestos dust in the air.
Asbestos was widely used during World War II and in the decades following it as insulation on boilers, steam pipes, hot water pipes and incinerators throughout most ships. The men and women who worked on the construction of any ship during that time could have been exposed to asbestos dust. The insulation would have to be cut and fitted as well as sanded down depending on the situation throwing asbestos particles into the air. The dangers associated with asbestos were relatively unknown at that time so there were few precautions taken. No workers wore respirators or masks and there are reports that during construction there were clouds of asbestos dust.
During that past 30 years there have been conscious efforts to reduce the amount of asbestos present on ships. It is no longer the major form of insulation that it once was. However, older ships that were constructed prior to the new regulations could possibly still contain asbestos products. Proper precautions should be taken during maintenance and decommissioning in order to ensure a safe environment. Asbestos is still found on many ships and anyone could still be exposed.
Shipyard Workers At Risk for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases
By the mid 1970s, strong evidence was uncovered regarding the health dangers associated with prolonged exposure to asbestos. Many who had worked with asbestos for extended periods of time were coming down with pulmonary diseases (such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis) from breathing asbestos dust.
The asbestos related diseases include:
- Mesothelioma: a type of cancer only caused by asbestos exposure that attacks the lining around the lungs and/or heart and/or abdomen. This cancer is not in the organs themselves, though untreated it will spread. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma (lung lining), then peritoneal mesothelioma (stomach lining), and then pericardial mesothelioma (heart lining).
- Asbestos Related Lung Cancer: while lung cancer can come from numerous sources, asbestos exposure can lead to the formation of a malignant tumor that blocks the air passages (common for smokers who were exposed to asbestos).
- Asbestosis: a pulmonary condition, only caused by exposure to asbestos, where scar tissue builds up in the lungs causing breathing problems and low blood flow.
The diseases associated with asbestos are similar in that their symptoms often do not appear for many years after exposure. It is not uncommon for someone to develop lung cancer after a 10 year lag between onset and initial exposure. Asbestosis and mesothelioma often do not become apparent for nearly 30 or 40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos. Common symptoms include: difficulty breathing, chest pains, a dry hacking cough that sometimes contained blood. These diseases are usually fatal.
The health problems associated with asbestos were not just isolated to people who worked with the product. The asbestos dust would spread easily through the air putting workers who never used it at risk. Also, many family members were at risk as well because workers would return home with the dust on their clothes, shoes and even hair.
