Mesothelioma Navy Navy Ship Asbestos History 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. Navy vessel class was among the first to extensively use asbestos insulation in its engine rooms during the 1930s?
- Gato-class submarines
- Gleaves-class destroyers (Correct answer)
- Essex-class aircraft carriers
- Fletcher-class destroyers
Correct answer: Gleaves-class destroyers
Gleaves-class destroyers built in the 1930s–40s used heavy asbestos insulation throughout their engineering spaces.
Question 2: On Navy ships, asbestos pipe lagging was most commonly found in which location?
- Officer quarters
- Engine and boiler rooms (Correct answer)
- Navigation bridges
- Mess halls
Correct answer: Engine and boiler rooms
Engine and boiler rooms contained steam pipes wrapped in asbestos lagging to prevent heat loss and burns.
Question 3: The USS Saratoga (CV-3), a Navy aircraft carrier, was significant in asbestos history because it:
- Was the first ship to ban asbestos use
- Was built in the 1920s and contained asbestos throughout its construction (Correct answer)
- Used only non-asbestos insulation
- Was scrapped before asbestos was widely used
Correct answer: Was built in the 1920s and contained asbestos throughout its construction
USS Saratoga was commissioned in 1927 and constructed with asbestos widely used throughout, exposing crew over its long service life.
Question 4: What role did asbestos play in Navy ship gaskets and packing materials?
- It added structural strength to hull plates
- It prevented leaks around high-temperature valves and fittings (Correct answer)
- It provided radar-absorbing camouflage
- It insulated electrical wiring only
Correct answer: It prevented leaks around high-temperature valves and fittings
Asbestos gaskets and packing were used around valves, pumps, and fittings to seal joints under high heat and pressure.
Question 5: Which decade saw peak asbestos use in U.S. Navy shipbuilding?
- 1920s
- 1940s–1950s (Correct answer)
- 1970s
- 1980s
Correct answer: 1940s–1950s
The 1940s and 1950s represented peak Navy asbestos use, driven by WWII shipbuilding demand and post-war naval expansion.
Question 6: Asbestos floor tiles were frequently installed on Navy ships primarily because:
- They were lighter than steel deck plates
- They were fire-resistant and durable in high-traffic areas (Correct answer)
- They reduced ship noise signatures
- They were required by international maritime law
Correct answer: They were fire-resistant and durable in high-traffic areas
Asbestos floor tiles were valued for their fire resistance and durability in the demanding shipboard environment.
Question 7: Which Navy occupational specialty had among the highest asbestos exposure rates due to working in confined spaces with asbestos materials?
- Radiomen
- Machinists Mates (Correct answer)
- Quartermasters
- Supply clerks
Correct answer: Machinists Mates
Machinists Mates worked directly with ship machinery, boilers, and steam systems wrapped in asbestos insulation in confined engine rooms.
Mesothelioma Navy Navy Ship Asbestos History 2
Which U.S.
Navy vessel class was among the first to extensively use asbestos insulation in its engine rooms during the 1930s?