Pearl Harbor Shipyard, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, has been in operation for more than 100 years. It supported the U.S. Navy in World Wars I and II, including the years following the devastating 1941 attack on the American fleet by the Japanese navy. The shipyard continued to repair and service military vessels for the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, and remains active today, having served the Navy during Operations Desert Storm / Desert Shield and Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
A Very Large Ship Repair Facility
Pearl Harbor Shipyard is the biggest ship repair facility between America's West Coast and the Far East. There are more than 4,000 people working there today, maintaining and servicing hundreds of Navy vessels.
Unfortunately, the men and women who worked at or lived near the Pearl Harbor Shipyard in days past were at risk of severe asbestos exposure, due to the nature of ship maintenance work. Before the dangers of asbestos as a human carcinogen were known (and sometimes even after the danger became clear), few if any safety precautions were used in shipyards to protect workers.
Toxic Levels of Asbestos
Asbestos components were widely used in both military and merchant vessels because of the excellent fire-retardant property of this natural mineral. Many shipyard workers came into close contact with asbestos-containing products, sometimes on a daily basis for a span of years. Boiler room workers, ironworkers, plumbers, drywall workers, construction workers, and even civilians on the naval base or nearby may have been exposed to toxic levels of asbestos.
Learn More about Asbestos Claims
Asbestos exposure can cause a variety of maladies and diseases, some of which are life-threatening. If you (or your family member) workedat Pearl Harbor Shipyard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact us today. We’ll help you explore your options for assistance.
