If you notice signs of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you’ll need to work out where it came from. If a scroll back through your job history includes time working with ships, that could be a good place to start.
Ships used to use a lot of asbestos because of the substance’s fireproofing and soundproofing qualities. A fire on a ship could be disastrous if it spread, and the engine of the ship can be incredibly noisy, so many shipbuilders thought asbestos was a good solution. Maybe you were charged with installing it. Perhaps it was there as you worked on the electrics or some other job. Either way, you could have breathed in a considerable amount of asbestos in the course of your work, especially if you did it for years.
Dismantling ships can also cause dangerous exposure
Working with ships at the end of their lives can be just as problematic. A few years ago, a Brazilian naval vessel sent for scrapping in Turkey was found to have more than 700 tonnes of asbestos inside. Think about all the asbestos fibers that will be released into the air when someone starts breaking a vessel apart.
People have been aware of the danger of asbestos for decades
Companies continued to encourage the use of asbestos in shipbuilding and other industries long after the significant risks to health were known. You cannot turn back time, but you can pursue compensation if asbestos exposure at work has ruined your health. There is legal help available to learn more.