ASBESTOS PRODUCTS ON SHIPS

The range of products commonly used in Navy ship construction, from the 1920s through the early 1970s, is truly staggering. While most of the products were used primarily below decks, in the engine and fire rooms, many of them were used all over the ship.

PRE-MOLDED PIPE COVERING AND BLOCK INSULATION: This was a product, usually but not always white or off-white in color, which covered steam pipes and boiler walls. Pipe covering, also referred to as lagging, came in three-foot lengths, in varying diameters. The product came in half-rounds, split down the middle, designed to fit over the steam pipe. When laggers came to pipe elbows, tees, flanges, or valves, they had to cut the pipe covering to fit the length of pipe being covered, creating clouds of visible dust. Also, once the piece of pipe covering was placed over the pipe, it was wired into place; the wire was then tapped down to make it flush, sending more toxic dust into the surrounding air.

BOILER BLOCK INSULATION: This was also a pre-molded product, usually white or off-white, and was used to cover boiler walls. Boiler block came in three-foot lengths, and also had to be cut to fit, a very dusty process.

ASBESTOS CEMENT: Came in dry, powder form, in large bags. Asbestos cement was commonly used as an all-purpose insulation product. When pre-molded pipe lagging was applied, asbestos cement would be applied on top of it. Sometimes asbestos cement was used instead of pipe covering, or used to cover valves or flanges or hard-to-reach heated surfaces. Asbestos cement was commonly mixed in a bucket or trough, a very dusty process as the powder was poured out of the bag, and as the powder was mixed with water.

ASBESTOS CLOTH: Was generally 100% asbestos. Asbestos cloth came in various grades, and was often used as a final coat over the asbestos cement and pre-molded pipe insulation. It was also formed into pads, used to cover valves and flanges. Asbestos cloth was also used to cover machinery during welding, as spark protection.

While these products were more prevalent in the engine and fire rooms, steam lines ran throughout the ship. Men stationed above decks frequently had steam lines running right above their bunks; when the ship was under way, or when the ship's guns were fired, the dust shook off the insulated pipes down to the bunks, frequently just inches below the steam pipe.

The above products were just a few of the asbestos-containing products on ship. If you were exposed to these products for an extended period of time, you owe it to yourself and your family to receive medical checkups, including a chest x-ray, once every two years.

Persons exposed to asbestos-containing products in the past, or who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases, may be entitled to substantial monetary damages.

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