The Washington Navy Yard in the District of Columbia was founded in 1799 by George Washington, making it the U.S. Navy's oldest shore facility. By the World War II years, it had become the largest manufacturer of naval guns and explosives in the world. In its peak years, the Washington Navy Yard employed close to 25,000 workers. Many of these workers were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos, a cancer-causing substance.
Also Called the U.S. Naval Gun Factory
In late 1945, the yard was renamed the U.S. Naval Gun Factory. Regulations that limited the use of asbestos were not implemented until the 1980s, and before then the employees at the Washington Navy Yard/Naval Gun Factory were not covered by the crucial safety regulations that could have helped protect them from asbestos.
Navy Yard Workers Exposed to Asbestos
When asbestos is used in the manufacture of guns and explosives, or when those weapons are removed from a naval vessel, the manipulation of the asbestos product is bound to release some of the hazardous fibers into the air. Asbestos fibers are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye. They are so light that they hang suspended in the air for hours, or even days.
When gun and explosive workers at the Washington Navy Yard handled asbestos products, they were at risk of inhaling the asbestos fibers, whether they were aware of doing so or not. Even workers who were not directly handling the products but were in the immediate area could have been affected.
Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma
Asbestos fibers become lodged in the lungs and other internal organs, where they can start a disease process that culminates in lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma, a cancer whose sole cause is asbestos exposure.
If you or a member of your family has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, it's wise to learn all that you can about the resources available to you. Contact us today to find out more.
