Asbestos exposure while serving in the Navy is the primary cause of thousands of cases of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis among Navy veterans. Few personnel were aware of the risk of asbestos poisoning during their Navy service, but alarming numbers of veterans are now being diagnosed with asbestos-caused diseases that were contracted during WWII, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and peacetime service.
Dangerous Navy Jobs
Because most ships built before 1980 have asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), the Navy personnel who served onboard or who worked in ports or the shipbuilding process were at a greater-than-normal risk of being exposed to high levels of asbestos. Navy jobs that were particularly dangerous with regard to asbestos include:
Asbestos in the Air
Asbestos exposure was also common among individuals serving in the Navy in capacities that did not involve installing or repairing ACMs. Asbestos is prone to crumbling and breaking, especially when it is being manipulated and when it is deteriorating with age or from the weather. Anyone in the area when asbestos is crumbling is at risk of breathing in the airborne fibers of asbestos.
Merely spending time in an environment that has asbestos fibers in the air can be the cause of diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Service time in shipyards, below deck, or in housing with ACMs was especially likely to result in asbestos-related illnesses, most of which don't manifest themselves until years, even decades, after the asbestos exposure.
Asbestos on Navy Vessels
If you have served in the Navy aboard any of the following types of vessels, or if you helped to build or repair them, you should give some thought to your level of asbestos exposure in your Navy years:
Learn about Asbestos Exposure While Serving in the Navy
Find out more about the specific Navy ships and jobs that are already known for producing mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases among veterans: contact us today.