Asbestos was used in US Navy ships from the 1930s to the 1980s and was used in a wide variety of different types of ships. Asbestos is an extremely harmful material, and inhaling it can cause asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma.
Aircraft carriers were built with asbestos-containing materials because asbestos is fire-resistant and there were many fires on these ships. Before the 1980s, most compartments on aircraft carriers contained asbestos. Equipment and products that contained asbestos included textiles, valves, vinyl floor tiles, insulation, gaskets and marine furring.
Navy cruisers also contained asbestos. Navy cruisers were used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Cold War. In cruisers, asbestos was found in boiler rooms, engine rooms, fuel storage areas, ceiling tiles, pipe insulation, switches and electrical components. People who were at the highest risk of developing asbestos-related diseases on cruisers are Navy veterans.
Auxiliary ships also contained a lot of asbestos. Asbestos-containing parts on auxiliary ships included cloth, pipes, insulation, fire-resistant sheets and gaskets. Additionally, ship decks usually were insulated by asbestos. Shipyard workers were most at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma. This could include those doing painting, plumbing, repairing, welding, general contracting, insulating and electrical work.
Asbestos was also used in destroyers. Asbestos-containing materials were used in valves, gaskets, adhesives, lagging and cement. Those at risk were almost everyone on the ship, since asbestos was present in boiler rooms and engine rooms, sleeping quarters and mess halls. Almost every space below the deck had asbestos in it.
Submarines also had asbestos-containing materials. Since asbestos is light-weight and flexible it was used in submarines because they have small spaces. Fires were more dangerous on submarines, because there was no chance for escape, so asbestos was used since it is fire-resistant. Those most at risk of exposure were maintenance men, repair men and shipyard workers.
Asbestos was also used in Navy minesweepers. Asbestos cement was used to insulate steam pipes. Additionally, asbestos was used in insulation in engine rooms that got hot. Minesweepers also contained packing, pads, gaskets and felt with asbestos. Any US Navy veteran who was on a minesweeper could be at risk of getting an asbestos-related disease.
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