Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in Norfolk

Naval Station Norfolk has been the Atlantic Fleet's main home port for decades, and countless sailors lived and worked aboard ships based there. Through the mid-twentieth century, Navy vessels used asbestos to insulate boilers, turbines, steam lines and bulkheads. Machinist's mates, boiler technicians and other engineering crews worked in hot, enclosed spaces where insulation was frequently repaired, and the dust settled on everything in the compartment, including bunks and clothing. Sailors in other ratings passed through those spaces daily, and even crew members who never worked in engineering could be exposed while ships were under repair.

Ship repair was a major civilian industry in Norfolk as well. Commercial yards such as Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock repaired Navy and merchant ships, and many Norfolk residents crossed the river to work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth or drove to Newport News Shipbuilding. Repair and overhaul work meant tearing out old insulation and installing new, so exposure extended to pipefitters, welders, electricians and laborers across the region. Many local workers moved between Navy service and civilian shipyard jobs over the course of their careers, which is why Hampton Roads work histories often combine military records with several civilian employers.