Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Tracing its history to 1854, Mare Island was the first naval base established by the United States on the Pacific Coast. The first warship and dry dock built on the West Coast were constructed on Mare Island. During World War II, the Mare Island Naval Shipyard repaired damaged warships at its dry docks and constructed hundreds of newly-built vessels, including four submarine tenders, 33 small craft, 17 submarines, 31 destroyer escorts and in excess of 300 landing craft.
Located in the city of Vallejo on San Francisco Bay, Mare Island Naval Shipyard was one of the longest-operating naval facilities in United States history. During its tenure, hundreds of ships were serviced, repaired and built on Mare Island, including the USS Ward, a destroyer constructed and launched in a record 17.5 days in 1917, during World War I.
Beneath its proud and productive history also lurks the history of asbestos use. This material was ubiquitous in shipyards and used without regulation through much of the 20th century. The high levels of output combined with the large number of Navy veterans and civilian employees working at the Mare Island shipyard created a situation where people were easily exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos Exposure at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Now on the National Register of Historic Places, Mare Island Naval Shipyard was closed in 1996 and given to the city of Vallejo for redevelopment in 2002. The redevelopment plans are proceeding.
Navy veterans and civilians who worked in Mare Island's shipbuilding and repair operations were at a high risk for exposure to asbestos. Sailors who served on ships built at Mare Island were also susceptible to exposure to microscopic asbestos fibers while on board the vessels.
Asbestos was used to insulate pipes, boilers, turbines and electrical wires. The substance could also be found in gaskets, valves and welding rods. Individuals who worked with any of these materials at Mare Island prior to the 1980s is at risk for asbestos-related illnesses.
The construction materials for the buildings and facilities on the grounds also utilized large amounts of asbestos. Building maintenance workers or anyone who came into contact with or worked in areas where flooring or drywall may have been crumbling or insulation was peeling off of steam pipes may have been exposed to asbestos.
The Restoration Advisory Board for Mare Island is also confronting asbestos contamination. As of March 2010, the Board estimated that 50,000 square feet of asbestos-containing vinyl floor tiles and mastic, and an additional 20,000 square feet of asbestos-containing drywall and joint compound had been removed. The asbestos abatement efforts are considerably slowing the restoration process for the Mare Island facility and risk exposing more people to asbestos fibers.
In addition to the current abatement and mitigation issues, the initial site inspections of the property after its 1996 closure revealed considerable contamination. In 1998, among tons of unexploded ordinance on the island dating as far back as 1875, the environmental detachment of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Portsmouth (SSPORTS) identified more than 280 cubic yards of soil contaminated with asbestos pipe lagging, as well as lead and dry-cell batteries.
As late as 2010, litigation was still taking place involving asbestos cases arising from the exposure of workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard while the facility was still active.
In 2009, the wife and daughter of a former shipyard worker were awarded $1.8 million in damages for the death of their husband and father from mesothelioma. He had worked at the Mare Island Shipyard between the years of 1976 and 1994. As contaminated as the Mare Island facility became, it is likely that Navy veterans and civilians who worked at the shipyard site, even after it ceased operating as a shipyard, were exposed to asbestos.
Resources for Shipyard Workers
Workers who suspect they may have been exposed to asbestos at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard should consult with their physician. Because of the long latency period associated with asbestos, an early diagnosis followed by aggressive treatment is the most effective way of treating asbestos-related diseases. Those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease can request additional reading materials or request assistance with finding a treatment facility by fill out the form on this page. If you would like to speak with a Patient and Family Advocate directly, please call (800) 615-2270.
-
05/24/2012 -
One of the biggest asbestos-abatement jobs ever done in Buffalo, New York, is being handled now by a local company with a history of asbestos-related ..
-
05/23/2012 -
A new class of anti-cancer drugs is nearing the clinical trial phase and may eventually be available for treatment of aggressive diseases like pancrea ..
-
05/23/2012 -
School districts all across America have been wrestling in recent years with the task of removing and disposing of toxic asbestos from older buildings ..
© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
