Mesothelioma in Shipyard Workers and Boilermakers
Mesothelioma is much more prevalent among shipyard workers and boilermakers than among the general population, because of the higher asbestos exposure in these jobs. For three-quarters of the last century, shipyards in the U.S. and around the world were filled with asbestos-containing materials, in both components of ships and in the tools and materials used to make the ships.
Asbestos Used Extensively in Ships
The reason asbestos came to be so widely used in ships is that its resistance to fire made it seem ideal for many applications on board ocean-going vessels. As a result, countless workers were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos during the shipbuilding boom that occurred throughout the early- to mid-twentieth century.
Shipyard workers most commonly exposed to asbestos were employed in fields such as:
- boilermaking
- carpentry
- electrical work
- engineering
- machine work
- painting
- pipefitting
- plumbing
- sandblasting
- steel fabrication
- welding
All of the shipyard workers in these occupations, plus other people on-site and the family members of individuals who spent any significant amount of time at a shipyard before the 1970s, are at a high risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases.
Boilermakers: Poor Ventilation
A shipyard job that is particularly prone to mesothelioma is that of boilermaker—the work of constructing, installing, and repairing boilers and other heating and pressure vessels. Boilers are used on nearly all ships, and the personnel who worked on them were often in very confined quarters below deck, with inadequate ventilation that made the danger of the asbestos boiler insulation all the more significant.
Asbestos was used extensively around and as integral parts of the boilers because of its heat and fire resistance. Even worse, when the asbestos components deteriorated and needed replacement, the crumbling, “friable” asbestos was handled by boilermakers, who may have inhaled the toxic asbestos fibers that cause mesothelioma.
Talk to a Fitts Zehl Mesothelioma Attorney
If you have a history of shipyard employment and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, talk with one of our experienced mesothelioma attorneys about your concerns. We can answer your questions and explain your legal options.
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