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Shipyards

Newport News Shipbuilding

Newport News Shipbuilding

Newport News Shipbuilding Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, is the sole builder of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of only two yards that build nuclear submarines. Constructing the Navy's largest warships from the 1940s through the 1970s exposed workers to enormous quantities of asbestos — and the deep, confined below-deck spaces of a carrier or submarine concentrated that exposure to dangerous levels.

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
Newport News, VA
Industry
Naval Aircraft Carrier & Submarine Construction
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, Turbine and steam-system lagging, Deck underlayment and marine fireproof panels
Job Categories at Risk
Insulators (laggers), Pipefitters, Boilermakers, Welders and burners, Machinists, Electricians, Shipfitters, Sheet-metal workers, Nuclear refit and reactor-compartment workers, Drydock and outfitting laborers

History & Asbestos Use

Founded in 1886, Newport News Shipbuilding grew into the largest industrial employer in Virginia and the only yard capable of building nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Now a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the yard has built aircraft carriers and submarines for generations. Asbestos was used throughout every vessel class — in piping, boilers, turbines, steam systems, and fireproofing — and aircraft carriers in particular required vast quantities of insulation and fireproofing material. Asbestos remained in routine use until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s.

Exposure Details

The sheer scale of carrier and submarine construction at Newport News meant workers encountered asbestos in massive volume during the install phase, when miles of asbestos pipe covering, boiler lagging, turbine insulation, and sprayed fireproofing went into each ship. Insulators cut and fitted raw asbestos material, while pipefitters, boilermakers, welders, machinists, and electricians working in the same deep below-deck compartments — engine rooms, boiler rooms, and the cramped confines of submarine hulls — breathed the same airborne fiber in spaces with poor ventilation. Reactor-compartment and nuclear-refit work added rip-out exposure, where removing deteriorated insulation before installing new material released far more fiber than the original installation. Fibers also rode home on work clothes, exposing families.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Newport News Shipbuilding had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

  • Insulators (laggers)
  • Pipefitters
  • Boilermakers
  • Welders and burners
  • Machinists
  • Electricians
  • Shipfitters
  • Sheet-metal workers
  • Nuclear refit and reactor-compartment workers
  • Drydock and outfitting laborers

Health Effects

Former Newport News workers have developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis at rates well above the general population. Because these diseases typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, workers who built ships 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 Newport News Shipbuilding 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 Newport News Shipbuilding?

Workers who were employed at Newport News Shipbuilding 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 Newport News Shipbuilding may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

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Portsmouth, VA
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Treatment Centers in Virginia

If you were exposed to asbestos at Newport News Shipbuilding and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in Virginia may be able to help.

UVA Cancer Center

UVA Cancer Center

Charlottesville, VA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile

Browse all treatment centers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Newport News Shipbuilding?

Yes. Asbestos was a standard material at Newport News for decades — pipe and boiler insulation, cloth and rope, gaskets and valve packing, sprayed fireproofing, turbine and steam-system lagging, and deck underlayment all contained asbestos throughout the yard's construction work, into the late 1970s.

What asbestos products were used at Newport News Shipbuilding?

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

What jobs had the highest asbestos exposure at Newport News Shipbuilding?

Insulators (laggers), pipefitters, and boilermakers had the heaviest exposure, but welders and burners, machinists, electricians, shipfitters, sheet-metal workers, nuclear refit and reactor-compartment workers, and drydock laborers in the same deep below-deck compartments were also exposed.

Why was aircraft-carrier and submarine work at Newport News especially hazardous for asbestos?

Carriers and submarines pack machinery and piping into deep, confined below-deck spaces with poor ventilation, so workers installing asbestos insulation did so where fiber built up to high levels. Nuclear-refit and reactor work added rip-out exposure — removing old asbestos insulation before installing new material releases far more fiber than the original installation.

Could family members of Newport News Shipbuilding 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 Newport News Shipbuilding can mesothelioma appear?

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

Can Newport News Shipbuilding 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 Newport News Shipbuilding 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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Over 25 Years of Experience Our attorneys have recovered over $2 billion for mesothelioma patients and families.
Fast Results Trust fund claims can resolve in as few as 90 days. We move quickly for our clients.

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Sources:

  • OSHA compliance records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Virginia DEQ records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Court records from asbestos litigation — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in Virginia ← All Exposure Sites
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