Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii is the largest ship repair facility in the Pacific. Workers were exposed to significant amounts of asbestos during ship and submarine repair operations from World War II through the 1970s.
Last verified: 2026-03-09Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was established in 1908 and became critically important after the December 7, 1941 attack. The yard repaired battle-damaged ships during WWII and continued as the Pacific Fleet's primary maintenance facility through the Cold War. Asbestos was a standard material in all ship repair and submarine overhaul work. The yard remains operational today as Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
Workers at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard encountered asbestos during repair of battle-damaged vessels in WWII and during routine maintenance throughout the Cold War era. Submarine overhaul work involved extensive removal and replacement of asbestos insulation in confined reactor and engine compartments. The tropical climate and lack of climate-controlled work spaces added to worker discomfort, leading many to forgo protective equipment.
The following job categories at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:
Former Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard workers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis decades after their exposure. Both civilian employees and military service members assigned to the yard face elevated health risks. The yard's continuous operation since WWII means that workers from multiple generations have been affected.
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.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Pearl Harbor 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.
2 asbestos trust funds 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 QualifyWorkers who were employed at Pearl Harbor 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.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:
Yes. Asbestos-containing pipe insulation, boiler lagging, gaskets, and fireproofing were used extensively at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard during ship and submarine repair operations from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Insulators, pipe fitters, welders, and electricians had the highest exposure levels, especially those working on submarine overhauls and below-deck ship repair in confined compartments.
Yes. Former workers and veterans exposed to asbestos at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases may pursue compensation through trust funds and legal action.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Pearl Harbor, HI is a documented asbestos exposure site. Workers in the naval ship repair & submarine maintenance industry were exposed to asbestos-containing materials from the 1940s through the 1970s. Former workers diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases may be eligible for compensation.
No. Missing paperwork is normal after this long, and it is not what decides a claim. A Social Security earnings statement lists every employer you had, by year, and can usually be requested directly. Union records, W-2s and a DD-214 for military service do similar work. Coworkers who were there can also confirm conditions. What matters most is what you remember, written down in your own words.
Yes. A wrongful death claim can be brought by the estate or eligible family members, and it is a separate route from a claim the patient would have brought themselves. It also runs on a different clock: the deadline generally starts at the date of death rather than the date of diagnosis, which means families are sometimes still in time when they assume they are not. Deadlines are set by each state, so confirm the one that applies to yours.
Possibly. Asbestos fibres travelled home on work clothes, in hair and in vehicles, and household members were exposed while washing laundry or greeting someone at the end of a shift. This is called secondhand or take-home exposure and it is a recognised route to a claim in its own right, not an exception. If you are documenting a family member's work history, write down your own contact with their work clothing as well.
You do not need a lawyer, a diagnosis, or a decision to do this. You need a piece of paper. Memory is the part of a claim nobody else can reconstruct for you, and it is the part that fades.
If you are doing this for a relative who has died, write down what you remember too, including work clothes brought home to be washed. Household exposure is a real claim, not an edge case.
That is usually enough to work out which claims are open to you — trust funds, a lawsuit, or VA benefits if the exposure happened in service. You do not need records, dates you are certain of, or the name of a product. If you are asking on behalf of someone who has died, a family member can file and the deadline runs differently. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to decide anything today.
Or call us 24/7: 1-800-400-1805
Sources:
