Key Highway Shipyard
The Bethlehem Steel Company was founded in 1857 and quickly became one of the biggest providers of steel in the United States. They gained prominence as the first producer of large rails for the new, but growing railroad industry, and quickly diversified in many ways.
One of the key areas Bethlehem Steel grew was by getting involved in the ship building and repair business. It wasn't long until they were recognized as the number one producer of large vessels in America, and possibly the world. Among their holdings was the Key Highway Shipyard in Beaumont, Pennsylvania. At this site workers produced and fixed up both military and commercial vessels, and like so many other shipyards they concentrated heavily on repairing naval ships during World War II. All throughout the war German submarines attacked American ships, creating a constant need for new ones and ongoing work on the existing fleet.
The skilled craftsmen in Beaumont labored tirelessly to help the Key Highway Shipyard achieve a great level of success. They won a large contract with the US Navy, and great acclaim for their stellar work and fast turnaround time. Every laborer at the shipyard worked under intense and hazardous conditions which were well recognized, but sadly they also faced an unknown threat that was found within many of the products they dealt with each day.
Asbestos is a strong but pliable mineral that was used to create a vast array of products, many of which were in place all over shipyards and other industrial settings. These goods, such as paint, insulation and even protective clothing worked well, but unbeknownst to the employees they also imposed a great danger because of the asbestos inside them. Almost no one realized it at the time, but the mineral that was otherwise so advantageous is highly toxic, and just being around it can be deadly. As the goods that contain asbestos are used, microscopic bits of the mineral tend to break off and enter the air supply, allowing for people to breathe them in without realizing it. The poisonous mineral will remain inside a victim's respiratory system, and this will frequently result in deeply scarred lung tissue, difficulty breathing, asbestosis and lung cancer. Among the more well known maladies people who worked in sites such as the Key Highway Shipyard suffered is mesothelioma, an incurable and often lethal type of cancer.
People who worked with asbestos products often do not realize they have been affected by them for many years. If you or anyone you know spent time in locations where items containing the toxic mineral were present, contact your doctor for an immediate checkup.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
