DANGEROUS SHIPYARD OCCUPATIONS
Riveters risk mesothelioma when they work around asbestos

January 9, 2009 - Many professions are at an increased risk for asbestos exposure and the eventual development of mesothelioma. One of the most dangerous occupations involves riveters working in a shipyard.

Prior to the use of electric welders, most steel plates were joined by rivets, and tossing red-hot metal rivets was a very important skill in assembling steel-plated boats at Navy shipyards, like the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York.

Duties of a shipyard riveter

One man would heat the rivet in a forge and then the hot rivet would have to instantly be removed from the forge fire and be hammered into place in holes joining the steel plates. To speed the process of getting the hot rivet to the riveter, the rivet was often tossed from the forge to the riveter who would catch the hot rivet in a metal cone or leather glove, originally made of asbestos.

Riveters working in shipyards were commonly exposed to asbestos this way, and others. If you or a family member has ever worked as a riveter and suffered from asbestos-related health issues, a mesothelioma lawyer can help you.

Time to seek justice!

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 form below. We will pursue your claim to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.