When most people think of cruise ships, they do not immediately think of dangerous asbestos exposure. However, several cruise ships in service in the 70s, 80s, and 90s likely contained asbestos. Asbestos exposure can cause deadly diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. If you believe your asbestos disease was caused from exposure on a cruise ship, speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
Asbestos use was prevalent in the maritime industry for many years. Asbestos is versatile, durable, waterproof, and heat- and flame-resistant, and it does not conduct electricity. Ships and shipyards were once built with asbestos products, such as boiler and pipe insulation, turbine parts, water tight joints, gaskets, and other parts. Adding asbestos to these parts can help prevent fires and other damage in areas with high temperatures and pressure levels, but it comes with the risk of exposure.
Asbestos use has been regulated since the 1980s, when the link between asbestos and disease was already widely recognized for many years. Cruise ships were constructed with asbestos features well into the 1990s due to certain exceptions to restrictions. There are strict guidelines for the handling of asbestos onboard cruise ships, including ample signage and restricted access for areas where repairs or renovations involving asbestos are taking place.
Cruise Ship and Shipyard Workers at Risk
There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, but long-term, repeated exposure puts people at the greatest risk. One of the most common sources of asbestos exposure is workplace exposure, particularly in industries where workers are regularly handling or working around asbestos products. This includes maritime workers.
When asbestos is disturbed and fibers become airborne, they can be inhaled or ingested and get stuck in the body. They remain there permanently, damaging the surrounding tissue for decades until tumors begin to form. It can take 10 to 60 years for mesothelioma to develop after asbestos exposure. This long latency period means that workers on cruise ships in the mid-to-late 20th century may still be diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, even though it has been decades since their exposure.
Philadelphia Asbestos Attorneys at Shein Law Provide Comprehensive Representation to Cruise Ship and Shipyard Workers With Diseases
If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, mesothelioma, or another type of asbestos disease after working on a cruise ship or in a shipyard, consult our Philadelphia asbestos attorneys at Shein Law. With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia and Pennsauken, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call 877-743-4652 or contact us online to discuss your case with an attorney.