Shipyard Workers: Highest Mesothelioma Risk

Shipyard Workers Face the Highest Mesothelioma Risk

Shipyard workers have an odds ratio of 82.9 for developing mesothelioma, nearly 83 times more likely than the general population. A CDC study found that shipbuilding and repairing had the highest mortality rate from malignant mesothelioma of any occupation studied.

One-third of all U.S. mesothelioma cases involve Navy personnel or shipyard workers. Approximately 1,000 shipyard workers and Navy veterans develop mesothelioma each year.

Why Shipyards Used So Much Asbestos

Asbestos was considered a “miracle material” for shipbuilding due to its:

• Heat resistance: Protected against engine and boiler heat
• Fireproofing: Critical for naval combat vessels
• Durability: Resisted salt water corrosion
• Insulation properties: Maintained temperatures in confined spaces

Asbestos Use by the Numbers

Vessel Type	Asbestos Content
U.S. Navy vessels	Up to 900 tons per ship
Commercial ships	Up to 10 tons
Total Navy use (1940–1970)	300+ million pounds

Over 300 asbestos-containing products were used on Navy ships, including insulation, gaskets, valves, pumps, electrical equipment, and deck materials.

Highest-Risk Shipyard Jobs

Insulators/Laggers (Highest Risk)

Insulators handled asbestos materials directly and showed a Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) of 2.75 for lung cancer. A Swedish study found their pleural mesothelioma rate was 10 times greater than the general population.

Boilermakers

Boilermakers worked in cramped, poorly ventilated spaces with asbestos-containing boilers. A Michigan study found:

• 30% of boilermakers had pleural abnormalities
• Over 50% had respiratory difficulties

Pipefitters

A 1971 study of 101 pipe coverers at a New England shipyard found:

• 63% had asbestosis
• 13% had advanced cases

Electricians

Electricians were exposed while working on motors connected to asbestos-containing equipment. Studies show significantly increased mesothelioma risk.

Other High-Risk Positions

• Welders and machinists (engine rooms with poor ventilation)
• Ship fitters
• Hull maintenance technicians
• Painters (asbestos in paint thickeners and fire retardants)
• Boiler technicians

Critical finding: Tasks performed in U.S. shipyards yielded average fiber concentrations approximately two-fold greater than non-shipyard settings due to inadequate ventilation and confined work environments.

Major U.S. Shipyards with Documented Exposure

Over 100 shipyards across 11 states used asbestos extensively.

Navy Shipyards

Shipyard	Location	Peak Employment	Key Exposure Data
Brooklyn Navy Yard	New York	70,000+	Documented exposure in pipe shops, boiler shops, foundries
Norfolk Naval Shipyard	Virginia	40,000+ (WWII)	1984 study: 79% of workers showed lung abnormalities
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard	Maine	Thousands	Operating since 1800; documented exposure pre-1980
Hunters Point Naval Shipyard	San Francisco	:	Subject of wrongful death lawsuits
Long Beach Naval Shipyard	California	:	Peak exposure 1940s–1970s
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard	Washington	:	Documented asbestos use
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard	Hawaii	:	Documented asbestos use
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard	Pennsylvania	:	Documented asbestos use
Charleston Naval Shipyard	South Carolina	:	Documented asbestos use
Mare Island Naval Shipyard	California	:	Documented asbestos use

Time Periods of Peak Exposure

World War II (1940–1945): First Major Peak

WWII created unprecedented shipyard activity and asbestos exposure:

• 4.5 million people exposed in shipyards during WWII alone
• 1939: U.S. government classified asbestos as critical material
• 1942: FDR’s Asbestos Conservation Order prioritized asbestos for military shipbuilding
• American yards produced 5,000 merchant vessels
• 1943: Navy launched 30,000 warships
• 1944: Navy launched 45,000 warships

Asbestos dust was reportedly so thick workers couldn’t see across rooms.

Post-WWII Through Vietnam (1945–1970s)

• Every ship commissioned from 1930–1970 contained several tons of asbestos
• Peak consumption: 700,000+ tons annually during Vietnam War
• Exposure continued in ship repair, maintenance, and overhaul operations

Decline Period (1970s–1980s)

• Late 1970s: Dangers became publicly known
• Mid-1970s: Navy officially stopped using asbestos
• 1978: Government warned that 8–11 million workers had been exposed since WWII
• Early 1980s: Navy stopped using asbestos-containing materials on new ships

Mesothelioma Statistics for Shipyard Workers

Mortality Data

Study/Finding	Result
Odds ratio for mesothelioma	82.9 (vs. general population)
NIOSH study: asbestosis mortality	15 times higher than other occupations
WWII shipyard worker cancer deaths	14 per 1,000 workers
Ship repair workers with asbestosis	86% (including bystanders)
One shipyard study: mesothelioma deaths	7% of 17,800 asbestos workers
2024 study: asbestos diseases from shipbuilding	92.2% of cases

Latency Period

• 2007 shipyard worker study: median mesothelioma latency of 42.8 years
• Range: 20–60 years for disease manifestation

This means workers exposed in the 1970s and 1980s are still being diagnosed today.

Landmark Research

Dr. Irving Selikoff’s Studies (1960s–1980s)

Dr. Selikoff’s research proved the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma:

• Followed 17,800 asbestos insulation workers over decades
• By 1984: 356 workers had died of mesothelioma
• 1984 Norfolk Naval Shipyard survey: 79% showed lung abnormalities
• 80% of insulation workers with 20+ years experience had asbestosis
• 40% of their deaths were attributed to asbestos exposure

Genoa, Italy Shipyard Study (55-Year Follow-up)

A study of 3,984 shipyard workers (1960–1981) followed through 2014 found:

• 83.6% mortality (3,331 deaths)
• Pleural mesothelioma SMR: 575 (5.75 times expected)
• Lung cancer SMR: 154 (1.54 times expected)
• 22.6% of lung cancer deaths attributed to asbestos

Belfast Insulation Workers Study

Of 162 insulators from 1940: by 1975, only 40 survivors remained when 108 were expected.

Current Risks for Shipyard Workers

Ship Breaking and Demolition

Older ships still contain asbestos materials. Workers dismantling vessels built before the 1980s face significant exposure risks. International ship-breaking operations continue with inadequate protection.

Repair and Maintenance Work

• Repairs, maintenance, and restoration of older vessels disturb asbestos materials
• Decommissioning old ships poses increased risk
• OSHA regulates asbestos in shipyards with exposure limits and PPE requirements

Regulatory Status

• EPA finalized chrysotile asbestos ban in March 2024
• Implementation gradual over 12 years
• Asbestos products still actively used during transition period

Secondary Exposure: Family Members at Risk

Shipyard workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, exposing family members.

1981 Los Angeles County study of shipyard workers’ families:

• 11% of wives showed asbestos-caused lung damage
• 7.6% of sons affected
• 2.1% of daughters affected

Norfolk study: 9% of shipyard workers’ wives showed lung abnormalities.

Family members have successfully sued asbestos companies for secondary exposure causing mesothelioma.

Legal Options for Shipyard Workers

Shipyard workers and their families have multiple compensation options:

Personal injury lawsuits: Against asbestos product manufacturers

• Recent verdicts include $33 million (Oregon, 2025) for a shipyard worker

Asbestos trust funds: Many shipyard asbestos suppliers have established bankruptcy trusts

VA benefits: For veterans exposed during military service

• 100% disability rating for mesothelioma
• Tax-free compensation of $48,000+/year

Workers’ compensation: For occupational exposure

What to Do If You Worked in a Shipyard

Document Your History

• List all shipyards where you worked
• Note specific jobs and locations within shipyards
• Identify time periods of employment
• Remember asbestos products you encountered

Monitor Your Health

• Inform your doctor about shipyard asbestos exposure
• Report any respiratory symptoms promptly
• Consider baseline chest imaging
• Be aware of the 20–60 year latency period

Understand Your Rights

• Statute of limitations begins at diagnosis, not exposure
• Multiple compensation sources may be available
• Family members may also have claims for secondary exposure