Fore River Shipbuilding
Fore River shipyard sits ten miles south of Boston on a 111-acre site. Its founder, Thomas Watson, created one of the most successful shipyards in United States history. Its main products focused around creating naval battle ships that assisted American sailors that were stationed in Europe during the First and Second World Wars. The original shipyard needed little help from surrounding industries to create solid vessel production. It's first shipbuilding endeavor began at the peak of World War I, creating over 70 vessels for different purposes.
Over 50,000 individuals were employed at the shipyard at its peak during World War II. The shipyard is also well known for its participation in Franklin D. Roosevelts 'Arsenal of Democracy,' which allowed them to produce ships that served historic purposes during the war. Unlike many other shipyards in the United States, Fore River held a steady business reputation because of its continued success constructing the USS Long Beach that served as the world's first nuclear-powered surface combatant. This shipyard also took on projects that focused on commercial vehicles for different ventures in the United States. Upon the shipyard's closing in 1963, and the purchase by General Dynamics in 1964, Fore River focused on a more modernized form of shipbuilding along with creating an automated production press.
Many employees within the shipyard were exposed to toxic asbestos fibers. During that time, shipyards used large amounts of asbestos material in different locations of operations because of its strength and fire resistant properties. When inhaled, the fibers are very likely to become lodged within the lining of the lungs and even spread to other areas of the body, causing scarring and damage many years after exposure. Unfortunately, most workers were not informed of their exposure and also wore little or no protective gear when handling asbestos in areas that were contaminated with asbestos. Employers were negligent and did not educate their staff on the dangers of asbestos, even though there were not many medical cases of asbestos related diseases at that time. The public is now seeing an increase in mesothelioma and asbestosis cases, which are both due to asbestos exposure many years ago.
Occupations that may have exposed workers to asbestos within the shipyards include boiler men, electricians, insulators, pipe fitters, and other workers within the facility. More cases of these lung related diseases are surfacing now because the symptoms for these types of cancers and ailments do not affect the patient until many years after exposure. Some individuals have no idea that they have even been contaminated. It is important to contact a physician for a complete examination including your work and health history, whether or not the person is experiencing symptoms. Finding these types of illnesses in early stages makes for a quicker diagnosis and a more productive treatment and road to recovery.
