In decades past, ship piping, boilers and furnaces were insulated with asbestos. Since fitting out a ship involved cutting and installing asbestos in often small, poorly ventilated spaces, exposures were high, thus increasing the risk to the worker of developing lung cancer mesothelioma.
Shipfitters lay out and fabricate metal structural parts, locate and mark reference lines, mark location of holes to be drilled, install temporary fasteners to hold a part in place for welding or riveting, position parts in the hull of the ship, install packing, gaskets, liners, and structural accessories, and tack weld clips and brackets in place prior to permanent welding. Ship piping, boilers, and furnaces were insulated with asbestos. During the building of these old ships and during any repair and retrofitting of these same ships, workers have been exposed to asbestos. The cutting, drilling, marking, welding, clamping, aligning and any of the other work that disturbed the steel and the asbestos resulted in the release of microscopic particles of asbestos. The work of shipfitters is often in close confines and with poor air circulation. These conditions increased the exposure to and therefore the risk of developing mesothelioma from asbestos.
The information provided in this site is general in nature and constitutes neither legal nor medical advice. If you are concerned that you or someone you know is at risk of an asbestos-related disease, please consult your physician and an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation cases.
Digg it!
del.icio.us
