Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ingalls Shipbuilding is located in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The Ingalls shipyard, at the junction where the Pascagoula River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, is currently the largest private employer in the state, with some 10,900 shipyard workers.
Asbestos in Ships for the U.S. Navy
Established as a commercial shipbuilder in 1938, Ingalls Shipbuilding eventually became a leading shipbuilder for the U.S. Navy. For example, in 1957 Ingalls Shipbuilding had a contract to build 12 nuclear submarines for the Navy.
Asbestos in Ship Parts
Like other shipyards in the U.S. during the years from the turn of the 20th century until the 1980s, Ingalls Shipbuilding may not have been protecting its workers adequately against the dangers of asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral that was a component of hundreds of ship parts such as:
- Boiler rooms
- Valves
- Gaskets
- Pumps
- Plumbing insulation
- Electrical insulation
- Welding blankets
Inhaling Asbestos Can Cause Cancer
Shipyard workers were at a significant risk of inhaling asbestos fibers, which were often present in the air on the shipyard grounds. Asbestos dust was usually not visible, since the fibers are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Sometimes the dust could be seen reflecting the light, but wherever the fibers were hanging in the air, there was a danger of inhaling them.
Asbestos inhalation can cause life-threatening diseases: lung cancer, mesothelioma cancer, asbestosis, and other types of cancer. The rates of these diseases among shipyard workers (and their family members) are significantly higher than those of the American population at large.
Asbestos at Ingalls Shipyard
If you've received a diagnosis of an asbestos cancer disease and you worked at Ingalls Shipyard, contact mesothelioma treatment centers online today to learn more about the resources that are available to you.
Ingalls Shipbuilding (english) / Constructora Naval de Ingalls (spanish)
