Cruisers & Asbestos Exposure
The cruiser vessel was a sizable warship that was larger than a destroyer, but smaller than a battleship. For most of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the cruiser was the Navy's long-range weapon of attack while the larger ships stayed closer to the home base. The cruiser's main role was to attack enemy merchant ships.
Like all other ships built by the Navy before the 1980s, cruisers were heavily fitted with asbestos materials. The consistent use of cruiser ships led to flaking and cracking of these asbestos-containing products on board. The steady vibration and motion of being at sea, coupled with constant damaging blows due to tight quarters, forced fibers to become airborne and these fibers spread throughout the ship. Tiny particles of asbestos were effortlessly inhaled or ingested and readily attached to the internal linings of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. Due to the nature of their work, both crew members and shipbuilders were equally at risk.
Asbestos was predominately used for insulation and in products located near engine rooms where heat resistance was of utmost importance. Products such as cables, gaskets, and valves were also covered in asbestos through the form of a spray. Due to an extended latency period, it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years for the damage done by this mineral to produce symptoms, and this severely complicates the treatment process.
Cruisers Index
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