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Shipyards

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on League Island was one of the largest and most active naval shipyards in the United States. Building and overhauling aircraft carriers, battleships, and cruisers from the 1940s through the 1970s exposed tens of thousands of workers to asbestos — and the yard's overhaul work, which meant tearing out old insulation, made the exposure especially heavy.

Last verified: 2026-06-28
Legal & editorial
Written by Paul Danziger, J.D. · Edited by Rod De Llano, J.D. · Legally reviewed by Michelle Whitman (affiliated firm)
Editorial Policy & Advisory Board
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Industry
Naval Shipbuilding & Repair
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, Marine fireproof panels (Marinite-type), Asbestos friction materials
Job Categories at Risk
Insulators (laggers), Pipefitters, Boilermakers, Welders and burners, Shipfitters, Machinists, Electricians, Sheet-metal workers, Riggers, Drydock and overhaul workers

History & Asbestos Use

Founded in 1801, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first federal naval shipyard in the United States. During World War II the League Island yard employed more than 40,000 workers and produced dozens of warships, and it built and overhauled aircraft carriers, battleships, and cruisers for decades afterward. Every one of those ships used asbestos throughout its piping, boilers, machinery, and fireproofing, and the material stayed in routine use until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s. The yard closed in 1996 under the BRAC process.

Exposure Details

Philadelphia did both new construction and overhaul, and overhaul is where exposure ran highest: bringing a carrier or battleship in for refit meant ripping out deteriorated asbestos lagging and fireproofing before new material could be installed, and tearing out aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. Much of this happened deep inside the ship — engine rooms, boiler rooms, and below-deck passageways — where ventilation was poor and dust concentrated. Insulators applied and removed asbestos pipe covering; boilermakers and pipefitters cut asbestos gaskets and packing; and welders, machinists, electricians, and sheet-metal workers in the same compartments breathed the same fiber. The dust also rode home on work clothes.

Workers at Risk

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

  • Insulators (laggers)
  • Pipefitters
  • Boilermakers
  • Welders and burners
  • Shipfitters
  • Machinists
  • Electricians
  • Sheet-metal workers
  • Riggers
  • Drydock and overhaul workers

Health Effects

The yard's large workforce and decades of asbestos use produced one of the highest concentrations of asbestos-related disease in the northeastern United States. Because mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard workers are still being diagnosed today. Family members exposed to fibers carried home on work clothes have also developed mesothelioma. Many workers were never warned about the dangers until the late 1970s — and the manufacturers that supplied the asbestos 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 Philadelphia 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.

3 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 Qualify

Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard?

Workers who were employed at Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Naval Shipyard may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

Shipyards

Brooklyn Navy Yard

Brooklyn, NY
Shipyards

Fore River Shipyard

Quincy, MA

Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania

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

Penn Medicine (Abramson Cancer Center)

Penn Medicine (Abramson Cancer Center)

Philadelphia, PA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Pittsburgh, PA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile

Browse all treatment centers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard?

Yes. Asbestos-containing pipe and boiler insulation, cloth and rope, gaskets, valve packing, sprayed fireproofing, and fireproof marine panels were used throughout Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during ship construction and overhaul for decades, into the late 1970s.

What asbestos products were used at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard?

Block and blanket insulation on pipes and boilers; asbestos cloth, rope, and tape; gaskets and valve packing; sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement; marine fireproof panel board; and asbestos friction materials. Insulators handled the raw material directly, but the dust exposed every trade working nearby.

What jobs had the highest asbestos exposure at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard?

Insulators (laggers), pipefitters, and boilermakers had the heaviest exposure, especially during overhauls, but welders and burners, shipfitters, machinists, electricians, sheet-metal workers, riggers, and drydock workers in the same confined engine and boiler rooms were also exposed.

Why was overhaul work at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard especially hazardous?

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

Could family members of Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 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 yard.

How long after working at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard can mesothelioma appear?

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

Can Philadelphia 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.

I worked here but I have no employment records. Does that end it?

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.

My father or husband worked here and has since died. Can the family still file?

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.

I never worked here, but a family member did. Could I have been exposed?

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.

Did you work at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard? Write this down now

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.

  • The years you worked there — approximate is fine, and a range is fine
  • Your trade or job title, and what you actually did day to day
  • Which building, unit, ship or area you spent your time in
  • Who else was there — names of crew, foremen, or anyone who could confirm it later
  • Anything you remember about the materials — write what you recall on your own, before looking anything up. Details you remember unprompted are the ones that hold up years later when you are asked under oath. Details you read on a website do not.

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.

Worked at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard? Tell us the years and your trade

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.

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Sources:

  • EPA records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Navy BRAC documentation — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Pennsylvania DEP records — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in Pennsylvania ← All Exposure Sites
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