Charleston Navy Shipyard
A few miles away from Charleston, South Carolina lies the Charleston Naval Complex, which contains several large ships, a training center and the Charleston Navy Shipyard. This facility takes up an immense amount of land, with the shipyard itself resting on 400 acres.
Although construction of the shipyard was completed in 1901, it wasn't until many years later that the facility gained the respect and prominence it is now known for. Sadly, this change was due to the onset of World War I and the need for more vessels to be added to the United States Naval Fleet. New workers were hired at the Charleston yard to keep up with the intense demands and increased production level. The people who worked at the facility quickly became recognized for being extremely efficient and fast as they fulfilled their duty to the country. When the war ended, it seemed that many of these employees would be at risk for losing their jobs, but the need for new ships continued. Following the war many government leaders met to discuss monitoring the size of every country's navy to ensure that no nation would become too powerful. As these talks started to break down, the US opted to build even more ships to help maintain a dominant naval force. Before long the number of orders for new crafts to be built at the Charleston Navy Shipyard more than doubled.
Production continued to grow throughout the duration of the Great Depression, and increased again after the advent of World War II. During the war, German submarines known as U-Boats were attacking and destroying American ships at an alarming rate, and a call went out to all ship building and repair facilities to devote all of their efforts to maintain the fleet. Once again the Charleston yard was called upon to increase their output of ships.
Anytime a large number of ships must be built in a short period of time, there are various dangers encountered by the workers who are charged with the task. The brave employees of the shipyard were aware of this risk, but they did not know about another hazard they encountered regularly. The unknown threat was due to the presence of asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was used to create many different products which were utilized at every ship building facility. This mineral had many benefits - it was inexpensive, very strong, resistant to fire and highly pliable - but over time it was found to have one unforgivable downfall: it is poisonous.
Employees of the Charleston plant were subjected to breathing in microscopic asbestos dust particles which can float in the air and easily enter the nasal passages. The dust would then settle in the victim's respiratory system where it could large amounts of damage. It can scar lung tissue and lead to chronic and painful breathing disorders. Over time, the asbestos dust can also turn into various types of cancer, including the often deadly mesothelioma. People who were exposed to this mineral while on the job had no idea about the dangers it held, and often spent years working around the toxic substance.
The Charleston Navy Shipyard continued to succeed after World War II, and also participated in the Vietnam War effort. By 1996 things had changed drastically, and the facility was shut down. The future of this site is uncertain, but there are regular talks of reopening it at some point. If this happens, the people who will work at the facility will be provided with an asbestos free environment, but those who toiled at the plant during its lengthy run of operation may have been exposed to this hazardous material, and been made ill or lost their lives because of it.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
