Longshoremen

Raw asbestos fiber was shipped in bags that could tear easily during handling. Longshoremen lifted, stacked and moved these bags by hand or with hooks, and spills were common. Dust from broken bags settled on clothing, skin and surrounding cargo, and it could be carried home at the end of a shift. Hooks used to move bags could pierce them and release more fiber. If you remember handling bags of fibrous material, note the port, the approximate years, the ships involved and whether spills happened often. Coworkers may remember specific shipments, shippers or receiving companies.

After cargo was unloaded, holds often needed to be swept and cleaned before the next load. Residual fiber from damaged bags could be stirred up during this work in enclosed spaces. Longshoremen might also work near a ship's insulated machinery spaces or pipes while loading and unloading. These exposures can be harder to remember than handling the bags themselves, but they still matter. Describe your cleanup duties, any time spent below deck, the types of vessels you worked on and how long a typical cleaning job took. If you worked as a gang member rather than a regular hold cleaner, note that too.

Many dock workers are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, a federal program with its own rules for work-related injuries and illnesses. Longshoremen may also have claims against the companies that manufactured, shipped or supplied asbestos products. Port and union records, including gang assignments and hours worked, can help document your history. Because these legal paths differ in their rules and deadlines, having your options reviewed together helps make sure none of them are missed while you focus on your health. Deadlines for each path can differ, so an early review is worthwhile.

1. 1

   List the ports and terminals where you worked, with approximate years for each one.

2. 2

   Describe any cargo handling that involved bagged fibrous material and how often bags broke.

3. 3

   Request union and port employment records showing your gang assignments and hours.

4. 4

   Ask about both Longshore Act benefits and product claims during a free case review.