DANGEROUS OCCUPATIONS
Longshoremen risk mesothelioma through asbestos exposure at loading docks

January 12, 2009 - Asbestos has been part of the maritime industry for nearly 80 years, and an ever-present health danger for longshoremen working loading docks.

The constant threat of fires at sea led the industry to demand greater fire precautions, especially during WWII. Combat conditions exacerbated the danger of fire, so asbestos was applied in nearly every part of virtually every ship built during the war.

After the war, there seemed to be no reason to stop using asbestos. As a result, virtually every sea-going vessel constructed between 1940 and 1980 was laden with asbestos.

Shipyard loading docks and asbestos

Ships below decks tend to be very poorly ventilated and enclosed environments. This makes for a dangerous situation for shipyard workers who load and unload cargo at loading docks.

Longshoremen were exposed to asbestos not only when aboard these ships, but frequently the danger was in the very cargo they handled. Because there was no regulation, longshoremen handling such cargo were unaware of the hazardous nature of these materials, and were unlikely to have taken any precautions.

During the war and afterwards, corporations such as W.R. Grace, Johns-Manville and Raysbestos presented a great deal of evidence to Congress on the fireproof characteristics of asbestos. But they were far less forthcoming about the known health hazards.

Asbestos today

Despite the potentially fatal health consequences associated with asbestos exposure, asbestos is still imported and used in the United States for its insulation properties. The United States imported and used an estimated 1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Government sources estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. This disease is most often the result of industrial workplace exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through employers’ blatant disregard for the health and safety of their workers.

Time to seek justice!

That’s why people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their family members have strong cases in court. Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and seek FREE legal guidance and answers to your concerns, please notify us through the communication form below. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages for your family, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.