The Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard, near Baltimore, Maryland, is the U.S. Coast Guard's only shipbuilding facility and its major ship repair site. The Yard was established as a training academy in 1899. By 1910, the Yard had been transformed into a shipbuilding and ship repair facility.

A Federal Facility

The Coast Guard Yard is a federal facility on Arundel Cove, about six miles southeast of Baltimore's downtown. The yard is currently 113 acres, as a provider of industrial support for the Coast Guard. During World War II, the Yard was at its peak operations, with some 3,000 employees at the site.

Asbestos Products at Shipyards

In the years before strict asbestos regulations were implemented in the 1980s, shipyards were rife with asbestos-containing products such as:

• pipe insulation
• boiler room products
• welding blankets
• asbestos cloth
• electrical insulation
• gaskets
• pumps
• turbines

Asbestos Inhalation

The individuals who worked at shipyards, whether directly with an asbestos-containing product or nearby, were at risk of inhaling the tiny fibers of asbestos that are released when asbestos is manipulated or deteriorating. Installing or repairing of asbestos products on seagoing vessels put workers at risk of contracting an asbestos disease such as mesothelioma or asbestosis.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in the body where they can cause respiratory problems or other symptoms that may progress to disease. The diseases that are the end result of asbestos exposure may take decades to show symptoms.

Former Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard Employees

If you worked at the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard and you now have symptoms of lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma or a respiratory disease, contact us to learn about the resources available to you.