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Shipyards

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, California, served as a major Pacific Fleet repair facility and the Navy's Radiological Defense Laboratory. Repair and overhaul work from the 1940s until the yard closed in 1974 exposed workers to heavy asbestos — and because repair means ripping out old insulation, that exposure released far more fiber than building a ship from new.

Last verified: 2026-06-28
Medical review
Dr. Marcelo C. DaSilva Medically reviewed by , Senior Medical Reviewer Reviewed the clinical content for accuracy. Independent, compensation-disclosed medical reviewer.
Legal & editorial
Written by Paul Danziger, J.D. · Edited by Rod De Llano, J.D. · Legally reviewed by Michelle Whitman (affiliated firm) Attorney Advertising — Danziger & De Llano, LLP, 440 Louisiana St., Suite 1212, Houston, TX. Contacting this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Editorial Policy & Advisory Board
Location
San Francisco, CA
Industry
Naval Ship Repair & Radiological Defense
Exposure Era
1940s–1970s
Primary Asbestos Products
Block & blanket pipe and boiler insulation, Asbestos cloth, rope, and tape, Gaskets and valve packing, Sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement, Deck underlayment and floor tiles, Turbine and steam-system lagging
Job Categories at Risk
Insulators (laggers), Pipefitters, Boilermakers, Welders, Machinists, Electricians, Shipfitters, Painters, Drydock and overhaul workers, General laborers

History & Asbestos Use

Hunters Point was acquired by the Navy in 1940 and became a critical Pacific Fleet repair facility during World War II. After the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests, it also served as the Navy's Radiological Defense Laboratory, and ships contaminated with radiation were brought there for decontamination. Asbestos remained a standard material in all repair and overhaul work — in piping, boilers, steam systems, and fireproofing — until federal exposure limits tightened in the 1970s. The yard closed in 1974 and was later designated a Superfund site.

Exposure Details

Hunters Point was a repair and overhaul yard, and overhaul is where asbestos exposure ran highest: bringing a ship in for repair meant tearing out deteriorated asbestos pipe covering, boiler lagging, and gasket material before new insulation went in, and ripping out aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. Much of that rip-out happened in confined below-deck compartments — engine rooms, boiler rooms, and passageways — where ventilation was poor and dust concentrated. Insulators handled the raw material directly, while pipefitters, boilermakers, welders, machinists, electricians, and laborers in the same spaces breathed the same fiber, often without respiratory protection. The dust also rode home on work clothes, and at Hunters Point this asbestos hazard overlapped with radiological contamination, making the yard one of the most hazardous naval facilities in the country.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

  • Insulators (laggers)
  • Pipefitters
  • Boilermakers
  • Welders
  • Machinists
  • Electricians
  • Shipfitters
  • Painters
  • Drydock and overhaul workers
  • General laborers

Health Effects

Former Hunters Point workers have developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis at rates above the general population, with potential radiological exposure compounding the risk. Because these diseases typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, workers who served during the peak asbestos years are still being diagnosed today, and family members exposed to take-home fiber have developed mesothelioma as well. A diagnosis is not the worker's fault: the manufacturers that supplied asbestos to the yard knew the hazards, and many have since funded trust funds to compensate those harmed.

Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.

Compensation May Be Available

Workers exposed to asbestos at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.

1 asbestos trust fund have been identified as potentially related to exposure at this site. Many mesothelioma patients qualify to file claims with multiple trusts simultaneously.

Find Out If You Qualify

Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard?

Workers who were employed at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard between 1940s–1970s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.

Speak with an Attorney — Free Request a Free Case Evaluation

Related Asbestos Trust Funds

Workers exposed to asbestos at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

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Treatment Centers in California

If you were exposed to asbestos at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in California may be able to help.

UCSF Medical Center

UCSF Medical Center

San Francisco, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
Stanford Medicine (Stanford Cancer Institute)

Stanford Medicine (Stanford Cancer Institute)

Stanford, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
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Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

View Full Profile
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

View Full Profile

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Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard?

Yes. Asbestos was a standard material at Hunters Point for decades — pipe and boiler insulation, cloth and rope, gaskets and valve packing, sprayed fireproofing, deck underlayment and floor tiles, and turbine and steam-system lagging all contained asbestos throughout the yard's repair and overhaul work, through 1974.

What asbestos products were used at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard?

Block and blanket insulation on pipes and boilers; asbestos cloth, rope, and tape; gaskets and valve packing; sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement; deck underlayment and floor tiles; and turbine and steam-system lagging. Insulators handled the raw material, but the dust exposed every trade working nearby.

What jobs had the highest asbestos exposure at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard?

Insulators (laggers), pipefitters, and boilermakers had the heaviest exposure, especially during overhauls, but welders, machinists, electricians, shipfitters, painters, drydock and overhaul workers, and general laborers in the same confined below-deck compartments were also exposed.

Why was repair and overhaul work at Hunters Point especially hazardous for asbestos?

Repairing or overhauling a ship means ripping out old, deteriorated asbestos insulation before new material goes in — and tearing out aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. At Hunters Point that rip-out happened in tight, poorly ventilated below-deck spaces, so fiber concentrated and exposed everyone working there.

Could family members of Hunters Point workers be exposed to asbestos?

Yes. Fibers settled on workers' clothing, hair, and tools and were carried home, where spouses and children could inhale them while greeting workers or laundering work clothes. This take-home (secondary) exposure has caused mesothelioma in family members who never entered the shipyard.

How long after working at Hunters Point can mesothelioma appear?

Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases usually develop 20 to 50 years after first exposure, which is why former Hunters Point workers — and even their family members — are still being diagnosed today, decades after the yard closed.

Can Hunters Point Naval Shipyard workers or their families file an asbestos claim?

Often, yes. Former workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis — and the families of workers who have died — may be eligible for compensation through asbestos trust funds and claims against the manufacturers whose products were used at the yard. Eligibility and deadlines depend on the diagnosis and state, so a no-cost review by a mesothelioma attorney is worthwhile.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one worked at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options. There is no cost, no pressure, and no obligation.

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Sources:

  • EPA Superfund records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Navy BRAC documentation — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Cal/EPA DTSC records — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in California ← All Exposure Sites
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