Asbestos Exposure for Navy Veterans
Between the early 1930s through the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of men and women served on U.S. Navy vessels, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Many, if not all of these vessels were contaminated with asbestos. Navy used a staggering number of asbestos-tainted products in all of its vessels, leading to high rates of asbestos exposure for the men and women serving on the contaminated ships. The problem was not isolated just to those serving on the ships; many more were exposed to harmful asbestos fibers while working in shipyards and serving aboard submarines.While most military divisions utilized the dangerous substance mainly for insulation purposes, there are documented reports of more than 300 products containing asbestos primarily used by the Navy from the 1930s through the 1970s.Every Navy shipyard and ship that was built prior to the 70's was rife with various asbestos containing products. These asbestos based products were used extensively in boiler and engine rooms as well as most areas below the deck, typically for fire prevention. Those that worked in compartments below the deck had the highest exposure to asbestos based materials, but all sailors are at risk as the deadly substance was also used in mess halls, sleeping quarters, and navigation rooms. Products like gaskets, brakes, valves, adhesives, cement and floor and pipe coverings all of which contained asbestos. In fact, there was practically no part of a Navy ship that was free from asbestos between the 1930s and mid 1970s, thus making ship builders, shipyard workers and Navy veterans the highest at risk for contracting asbestos related cancer.As a result, over 30 percent of mesothelioma victims are veterans. Additionally, Navy veterans account for 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer. Source: http://www.liberated-press-releases.com
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