Cruisers
Asbestos Exposure in Cruisers
Just like the other ships constructed by the Navy prior to the 1980s, cruisers also were filled with asbestos-containing products.
The ceaseless duty of cruiser ships eventually led to peeling and cracking of asbestos like fireproofing spray on beams, decks, joints, columns and other structural members products on board and released deadly asbestos particles into the air. Additionally, the uniform tremor and movement of being at sea, together with regular destructive blows as a result of tight quarters, sent tiny asbestos fibers airborne. These easily inhaled particles scattered throughout the ship. Crew members as well as shipbuilders are at great risk of developing Mesothelioma and many other asbestos-linked diseases. It may take several decades for Mesothelioma symptoms to develop after the initial exposure to asbestos fibers.
