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Asbestos has been used in many industries. The building and construction industry has used asbestos for strengthening cement and plastics as well as for insulation, fireproofing, and sound absorption. Asbestos has also been used to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes in the shipbuilding and construction industry. The automotive industry has used asbestos in vehicle brake shoes and clutch pads.

There are thousands of products that have contained asbestos, including the following:

• Construction products, including joint compound, plaster, sheetrock, ceiling and floor tile; gaskets and packings; paints, coatings, and adhesives; caulking and patching tape; plastics; vermiculite-containing consumer garden products;
• Insulation products, such as block insulation, castables, boilers, pipe covering, table pads and heat-protective mats, heat and electrical wire insulation, industrial filters for beverages, underlying material for sheet flooring, firebrick, gunnite, and transite siding;
• Asbestos cement sheet and pipe products used for water supply and sewage piping, roofing and siding, casings for electrical wires, fire protection material, electrical switchboards and components, and residential and industrial building materials;
• Friction products, including clutch facings, brake linings for automobiles, gaskets, and industrial friction materials; and
• Asbestos textile products, such as packing components, roofing materials, heat- and fire-resistant fabrics (including blankets and curtains), and felt.

Malignant mesothelioma can be caused by the use of the above asbestos-containing products.

Workers at Risk

Many people are exposed to asbestos at some time in their lives; however, most do not become ill from their exposure. The risk to workers exposed to asbestos depends on several factors:

• Length of exposure
• Concentration of asbestos fibers in the air
• Whether or not protective equipment was worn

Workers may be exposed when asbestos-containing products are manufactured or installed. Research has found asbestos-related diseases in individuals with only brief exposure histories. Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after their first exposure. It can take anywhere from 10 to 40 years for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear.

In addition to those exposed occupationally, family members of workers heavily exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This risk results from exposure to asbestos fibers brought into the home on clothing, shoes, hair, and skin of workers. This type of exposure is called paraoccupational or household exposure.

Workers exposed to asbestos on navy ships and shipyards have the following trades:

• Boiler Tender
• Coast Guard Personnel
• Electrician
• Engine Room Worker
• Fireman
• Machinist's Mate
• Merchant Mariners
• Pipefitter
• Shipyard Workers (including insulators, laborers, laggers, painters, and maintenance workers)
• U.S. Navy Personnel
• Welder