Asbestos exposure during WWII was very high, widespread, and for the most part unchallenged. A number of factors produced an explosion in the amount of asbestos being used during the WWII years, including:

• The need for thousands of new buildings on military bases, e.g. housing and military structures
• The construction of a record number of ships for the Navy and merchants
• Repair work on military vehicles' brakes and clutches

Millions of Workers Exposed to Asbestos

During WWII, millions of men and women worked in the U.S. and overseas, in the military, for military contractors, and in private companies in a broad spectrum of jobs that provided significant asbestos exposure.

Factories, steel mills, and shipyards were particularly active as the war progressed; so much so that many women were called into the workforce to make up for the absence of men called to military service.

The Dangers of Asbestos Were Not Publicized

Although there were some individuals who knew of or suspected the toxic nature of asbestos, the dangers were not widely known, and they were certainly not publicized. The asbestos mines, asbestos processing plants, and factories for manufacturing asbestos-containing products were operated by owners and managers who may or may not have known of the cancerous nature of asbestos. These executives usually provided no special safety precautions for working with asbestos.

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

Today, many people who suffered asbestos exposure during WWII are being diagnosed with diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. The long latency period for mesothelioma (up to 60 years after the exposure to asbestos) is the reason that WWII-era workers, veterans and their family members are only just now experiencing the symptoms of mesothelioma.

Inhaling Asbestos

WWII workers and veterans were frequently completely unaware of the asbestos exposure. The millions of individual fibers that make up asbestos are too small to be seen with the naked eye, and when asbestos is disturbed in any way (as it is being mined, manipulated for a product, installed, or removed), the fibers are released into the air. The fibers are so lightweight that they hang suspended in the air for hours, even days. The inhalation of these fibers was the beginning of many cases of life-threatening disease.

Learn More about WWII Asbestos Exposure

If you're dealing with mesothelioma or another disease traceable to asbestos exposure during WWII, contact us for more information about your options.