As one of the most essential military occupations, hull maintenance technicians would handle asbestos-containing products and equipment such as valves, plumbing, and sanitation systems on a regular basis. The sources of asbestos exposure included ventilation seals, insulation and gaskets. Due to lack of appropriate protective gear, hull maintenance technicians would frequently inhale and ingest asbestos fibers, which are highly carcinogenic and persist in the body following exposure.
The duties of hull maintenance technicians covered a wide range, such as:
- Using light and heavy gauge metal
- Repairing decks, structures, and hulls
- Installing and repairing asbestos insulation
- Testing and evaluating shipboard structures
- Repairing installed ventilation ducts
Consequently, since asbestos would be present on military ships in over 300 products, asbestos exposure was inevitable for hull maintenance technicians. When materials such as insulation are disturbed, numerous asbestos fibers are released in the air and anyone who is in close proximity will inhale or ingest the dangerous mineral.
A military rating that had to perform similar duties as hull maintenance technicians was aviation support equipment technicians. During the last century, aviation support equipment technicians were responsible for duties such as preventive and corrective maintenance on aviation support equipment, aviation mobile firefighting units, material handling equipment, as well as hoisting and lifting devices. Their exposure to asbestos was moderate. However, aviation support equipment technicians are still at a significant risk of receiving a terrible diagnosis today, as the amount of asbestos in the body may be irrelevant to the development of a disease.
Relevant job titles
- aviation support equipment technicians
- ironworker
- marine inspector
Asbestos-related cancer eligible for filing a claim
If you developed one of the following cancers as a result of occupational exposure, you are eligible for compensation. If you are too ill, a family member can help you with the legal process. In the unfortunate event that you pass away before recovering compensation, your surviving family members will receive compensation on your behalf.
If, however, you struggle with non-cancerous pleural diseases such as asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, COPD (emphysema & chronic bronchitis), pleurisy, lung nodules, lung spots, asthma, pneumonitis, tuberculosis, rounded atelectasis or lung scarring, please seek a second or even a third opinion as the rate of misdiagnosis is very high among the victims of asbestos exposure.
Companies that exposed hull maintenance technicians to asbestos
Labor union members are also eligible
Asbestos products handled by hull maintenance technicians
Since hull maintenance technicians were in charge of multiple activities on the ship, the number of asbestos products they came in contact with or handled is quite large. From insulation to gaskets, this military occupation is now very susceptible to receiving a cancer diagnosis. Below are some of the asbestos products hull maintenance technicians would handle on a daily basis on military ships.