Asbestos in Floating Dry Docks
A crucial component to the Navy’s operations during World War II and moving forward, floating dry docks provide the ability to dock ships at sea or at locations where a permanent dry dock is not an option. These vessels are generally U-shaped with rectangular chambers in the center that can be flooded with water, allowing the dock to be weighed down and lowering the deck underwater so a ship can float in. Water is then pumped out of the chambers, and the dock rises back up to allow for maintenance or repairs to be done on the dry-docked ship.
Veterans who served on floating dry docks may have been exposed to asbestos both through components used in the dock itself and through their work on other ships at the dock. Exposure to this dangerous material puts floating dry dock workers at risk for developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
If you or a loved one is coping with a diagnosis of mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis after being exposed to asbestos on a floating dry dock, you should know that help is available. Belluck & Fox, LLP is a nationally recognized mesothelioma law firm with more than 20 years of experience securing compensation for veterans who were harmed by asbestos. Over the years, our dedicated asbestos lawyers have fought to secure more than $800 million in verdicts and settlements for clients and their families.
Schedule a free case consultation today to learn how we can help you.
Asbestos Exposure Among Floating Dry Dock Workers
Although the Navy developed a policy against using asbestos in 1975, many veterans had already been exposed to the dangerous material at that point, and vessels built with asbestos components still remained in service after the policy was implemented.
As on other Navy vessels, service members who worked on or around engines on floating dry docks were at risk of asbestos exposure. Floating dry docks can be self-propelled or non-self-propelled (N-S-P), but even those without propelling power contained other engines to help with lifting and maneuvering ships. Service members may also have been exposed to asbestos while working on brake linings, valves, gaskets, pipe coverings, electrical insulation, and other components used on the dry dock itself and in the ships they were repairing and maintaining.
Dry dock workers who served in the Navy from the 1950s through the 1980s are considered particularly at risk for mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that can develop up to 60 years after a person was exposed to asbestos.
Floating Dry Dock Hull Classifications
Floating dry docks were built in a variety of sizes to support a wide range of vessels. Some of the common types of Navy floating dry docks and their hull classifications are:
- Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock, AFD
- Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock, AFDB
- Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock, AFDM
- Small Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock, AFDL
- Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock, ARD
- Medium Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock, ARDM
- Yard Floating Dry Dock, YFD
Floating Dry Dock Records
Many of the Navy’s floating dry docks were never given a name and instead were referred to by their hull classification symbols. However, the Naval Vessel Register keeps records on all the docks, including those that have been sold or are not in use. This database includes records on the floating dry docks’ class, hull, builder, launch date, commission date, and current status.
For those floating dry docks that were given a name, the Naval Vessel Register includes records on:
- Ability
- Adept
- Alamogordo
- Arco
- Artisan
- Competent
- Diligence
- Endeavor
- Endurance
- Oakridge
- Reliance
- Resolute
- Resourceful
- Richland
- San Onofre
- Shippingport
- Steadfast
- Sustain
- Undaunted
- Waterford
- West Milton
- Windsor
To see the comprehensive list of floating dry docks and related information, visit the Naval Vessel Register.
If you or a loved one is coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis after being exposed to asbestos on a floating dry dock or other Navy vessel, contact us today to discuss whether you may be entitled to compensation. At Belluck & Fox, LLP, our experienced mesothelioma lawyers have the resources to research which asbestos corporations may be responsible for manufacturing or distributing the dangerous parts on your floating dry dock.
Will My Asbestos Claim Be Against the Navy?
You do not need to be concerned about your mesothelioma claim hurting the Navy. The asbestos companies that sold dangerous products and equipment to the Navy are the ones that put your life at risk, and they are the ones that we will demand compensation from.
Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our dedicated asbestos lawyers to learn about your options for pursuing compensation. We will discuss your service history and answer any questions you have about the claims process.
We Stand Up for Those Who Stood Strong for Us
At Belluck & Fox, LLP, we have great respect for the men and women who serve our country, and we are proud to fight for them in their time of need. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation on your case. Our dedicated attorneys understand how complicated and urgent these asbestos claims can be, so you can count on our team to respond to inquiries immediately.
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