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General Dynamics-NASSCO

In 1959 General Dynamics National Steel and Ship Building Company (NASSCO) opened a shipyard in San Diego, California. The facility was used to build and repair large ships that were part of the United States Naval Fleet. Workers at this site dealt with a vast array of products that were made out of many different materials, and for years one of the most common was asbestos.

Asbestos is a mineral that is found in large natural deposits all over the United States. Around the beginning of the Industrial Revolution it was found to be extremely beneficial for use in many different products, especially insulation. The mineral is naturally resistant to heat and can even be used as a fire retardant, which made it ideal as a base for products that had to insulate machinery that operates at extreme temperatures. Ship building facilities require vast amounts of insulation, so asbestos was prevalent all throughout the NASSCO plant.

Unfortunately the insulation products that contained asbestos were a serious danger to all of the employees at General Dynamics. People who spent time around these items were very likely to inhale microscopic amounts of the material, and that often proved to be a great health threat. Breathing in asbestos can lead to several serious ailments. The workers who spent time around the mineral became very likely to experience severe breathing disorders, and various diseases. One condition that was commonly brought on by asbestos exposure was Mesothelioma, a type of cancer that has claimed the lives of thousands of people over the years.

During the 1970's government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency began to prove the dangers of asbestos, and use of the toxic material became regulated. Companies like NASSCO were hit with many thousands of lawsuits from workers who were made ill and families that lost loved ones after spending time working with the hazardous substance.

NASSCO managed to survive the onslaught of personal injury claims they were hit with, and over time they had all of the products which contained asbestos removed from the San Diego facility. The plant stayed open, and was even given a $9.7 million contract from the US Navy in 2001. Since then the site has faced other problems from gas build ups that have led to explosions at the work site. Most notable was a large blast in December of 2007 which almost killed a welder who was on duty at the time. Similar incidents were cited in 2002 and 2003, but this one came the closest to claiming the life of a worker. Despite the many problems faced by NASSCO, the facility remains in full operation currently.

Last modified: December 09 2009.