Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in Vallejo

Mare Island Naval Shipyard opened in the 1850s as the Navy's first base on the West Coast. Over the following century it built and overhauled warships and, later, submarines. Ships of that era were heavily insulated with asbestos on boilers, turbines and steam piping. Shipfitters, insulators, pipefitters and electricians worked in cramped compartments where asbestos dust collected, often during both construction and overhauls. Submarine work added its own hazards, since space inside hulls was tight and ventilation was limited. Workers from different trades often shared the same compartments, so an electrician or welder could breathe dust created by insulators working a few feet away. Many workers spent decades at the yard.

The shipyard was Vallejo's largest employer for generations, and many local families had several members working there. Dust brought home on work clothes exposed spouses and children. The shipyard closed in the 1990s, but because mesothelioma takes decades to develop, former workers and their families are still being diagnosed. Many Vallejo workers also held jobs at nearby Bay Area refineries and shipyards. When the shipyard closed, many workers moved to other Bay Area jobs, and some left California entirely. Their records still matter, because shipyard employment files and union documents can help identify which ships and systems they worked on, and which companies supplied the asbestos products involved.