Mesothelioma Navy Navy Ship Asbestos History — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which types of Navy vessels had the most asbestos?
- Aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines due to extensive insulation needs in confined spaces (Correct answer)
- Only civilian cargo ships contained asbestos
- Asbestos was only used in World War I era ships
- Small patrol boats had the most asbestos per square foot
Correct answer: Aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines due to extensive insulation needs in confined spaces
Large combat vessels like carriers and submarines had extensive asbestos insulation throughout engine rooms, boiler areas, pipe systems, and living quarters due to fire resistance and heat management requirements.
Question 2: What Navy shipyards had the highest rates of asbestos exposure?
- Major shipyards including Norfolk, Portsmouth, Mare Island, and Brooklyn Navy Yard (Correct answer)
- Only foreign shipyards used asbestos
- Asbestos exposure only occurred at sea, not in shipyards
- Only private sector shipyards had asbestos exposure
Correct answer: Major shipyards including Norfolk, Portsmouth, Mare Island, and Brooklyn Navy Yard
Major Navy shipyards where ships were built, repaired, and overhauled had extremely high asbestos exposure levels, especially during World War II when production was accelerated.
Question 3: What asbestos-containing products were commonly found aboard Navy ships?
- Gaskets, pipe insulation, floor tiles, brake linings, boiler insulation, and fireproof blankets (Correct answer)
- Only the ship's hull contained asbestos
- Only the engine room had asbestos products
- Asbestos was limited to the ship's paint
Correct answer: Gaskets, pipe insulation, floor tiles, brake linings, boiler insulation, and fireproof blankets
Over 300 different asbestos-containing products were used throughout Navy ships including insulation, gaskets, valve packing, floor tiles, adhesives, cable insulation, and fireproofing materials.
Question 4: How were Navy personnel exposed to asbestos during routine operations?
- Through daily activities near deteriorating insulation, maintenance work, and emergency repairs that disturbed ACMs (Correct answer)
- Only during special asbestos removal projects
- Only when ships were in dry dock
- Exposure only occurred during battle damage repair
Correct answer: Through daily activities near deteriorating insulation, maintenance work, and emergency repairs that disturbed ACMs
Routine activities like maintaining equipment, cleaning, traversing passageways with overhead pipe insulation, and performing repairs regularly disturbed asbestos-containing materials, releasing fibers.
Question 5: When did the Navy begin restricting asbestos use?
- Gradually from the 1970s through the 1990s, with significant restrictions beginning in the 1980s (Correct answer)
- Asbestos was restricted since the Navy's founding
- Restrictions began in 2010
- The Navy has never restricted asbestos use
Correct answer: Gradually from the 1970s through the 1990s, with significant restrictions beginning in the 1980s
The Navy began restricting asbestos use in the 1970s following growing evidence of health hazards, with major reductions in the 1980s, though some ACMs remained on older vessels for years.
Question 6: What records can help veterans prove asbestos exposure during military service?
- Military service records, ship histories, deck logs, personnel records, and buddy statements (Correct answer)
- No records exist documenting military asbestos exposure
- Only DNA tests can prove prior asbestos exposure
- Exposure can only be proven through current medical imaging
Correct answer: Military service records, ship histories, deck logs, personnel records, and buddy statements
Veterans can use DD-214s, ship deck logs, personnel records documenting duty stations and assignments, and statements from fellow service members to establish their history of asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Navy Navy Ship Asbestos History
Which types of Navy vessels had the most asbestos?