Asbestos Exposure at Jacksonville Shipyards and Naval Stations

By David Meldofsky, California-licensed attorney · Founder, Lawsuit Informer

Last updated: June 6, 2026

Jacksonville, Florida, has long been a Navy town, and its shipyards and naval stations on the St. Johns River were among the most asbestos-intensive workplaces in the state. For generations, the people who built and repaired ships there — and who built and maintained the bases themselves — worked around asbestos every day, often without knowing it. This page explains, in plain terms, how and where exposure happened in the Jacksonville area, who was affected, the illnesses linked to it, and why that history can still matter today.

Shipbuilding and the Navy in Jacksonville

Jacksonville's position on the St. Johns River, near the Atlantic, made it a natural center for shipbuilding and ship repair, and the Jacksonville–Pensacola region grew into one of the most concentrated military areas in Florida. The Navy commissioned Naval Station Mayport near Jacksonville in 1942 to support the war effort, and it later grew into a major seaport and air facility; Naval Air Station Jacksonville became another major installation in the area. Alongside the bases, commercial shipyards and dry docks along the river built, serviced, and repaired both Navy and civilian vessels for decades.

Florida has the second-highest total of mesothelioma cases in the country, and much of that traces to its coastline of naval shipyards and ship repair facilities together with its dense network of military installations. Through the decades when Jacksonville's yards and stations were most active, asbestos was a standard material in shipbuilding and base construction alike, which is why so many of the people who worked there were exposed.

Why Asbestos Was Present

Asbestos resists heat and fire and was inexpensive, so it was used heavily throughout shipbuilding and ship repair — and in the buildings and equipment on the bases themselves. It appeared as insulation on boilers, steam lines, turbines, and piping; in gaskets and valve packing; in insulating block and cement; in materials lining hulls and enclosed compartments; and in building products like floor tile, roofing, and pipe covering. For a fuller explanation of why ships were saturated with these materials, see asbestos exposure in shipyards and naval service.

Where Exposure May Have Happened

Exposure was not limited to one task or one facility. Fibers could be released whenever asbestos materials were cut, mixed, applied, removed, or disturbed — during new construction, overhauls, and routine maintenance alike. Common settings included:

• Engine and boiler rooms, where insulation covered boilers, turbines, and high-pressure steam lines
• Pipe runs throughout vessels, where insulation and lagging were applied and torn out
• Dry-dock repair and hull work on Navy and commercial ships
• Work installing or replacing gaskets and valve packing
• Mixing and applying insulating cements and block insulation
• Construction, maintenance, and renovation of base buildings, hangars, and shops

Because much of the shipboard work happened in tight, poorly ventilated spaces, even workers who did not handle asbestos directly could breathe fibers released by others nearby.

Who May Have Been Exposed

Many trades worked in and around asbestos at Jacksonville's yards and stations, including:

• Insulators who applied and removed insulation
• Pipefitters and steamfitters and boilermakers
• Shipfitters, welders, machinists, and electricians
• Dry-dock and ship-repair workers
• Base construction and maintenance crews

Exposure also reached beyond the workforce. Navy personnel who served at the stations or aboard vessels repaired there encountered the same materials, and family members were sometimes exposed to fibers carried home on work clothing — a pattern often called take-home or secondary exposure.

Illnesses Linked to the Exposure

The diseases associated with asbestos exposure can take decades to appear after the exposure itself. They include mesothelioma (including pleural and peritoneal forms), asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis. Because of this long delay, a diagnosis today can trace back to work done in the Jacksonville area many years ago.

Why This History Can Matter in a Claim

Jacksonville's shipyards and naval stations are widely recognized as significant asbestos exposure sites, and Florida accounts for a large share of the nation's asbestos-related disease. A documented history of work or service connected to these facilities — including which yards or stations, what trade, and what time periods were involved — can be an important part of reconstructing where and when exposure happened, which is often central to these claims.

Because asbestos illnesses surface so long after exposure, the time to bring a claim is generally measured from diagnosis rather than from the original exposure, and the applicable deadline varies by state. If you are researching on behalf of yourself or a family member, our companion directory can connect you with Florida asbestos lawyers who handle these matters, and you can also see who may qualify for an asbestos claim.

Records That Can Help

A complete file is rarely available at the start, and that is normal. Even partial information can help establish a connection to these facilities. Useful records and details include employment or union records, Navy or merchant marine service documents, job titles and dates, the trades performed, the specific yards, stations, ships, or shops worked on, and the names of coworkers who can describe the conditions. For more, see records that help support an asbestos claim.

Common Questions

Why was asbestos used at Jacksonville's shipyards and naval stations?

Because it resists heat and fire, asbestos was a standard material in shipbuilding and base construction — used for insulation on boilers, steam pipes, turbines, and hulls, in gaskets, packing, and insulating cement, and in building products. These facilities built, repaired, and operated through decades when this use was routine.

Who may have been exposed there?

Insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, shipfitters, welders, electricians, machinists, dry-dock workers, and base maintenance crews worked directly around asbestos, and others nearby could be exposed in shared, enclosed spaces. Navy personnel and family members exposed through take-home dust are also part of the pattern.

I worked there decades ago. Could it still matter?

Possibly. Asbestos illnesses often appear decades later, and the time to file is generally measured from diagnosis rather than exposure. A documented history at a known exposure area like Jacksonville's shipyards and naval stations can be relevant. Deadlines vary by state and are best confirmed with a licensed attorney.

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About the Author

David Meldofsky is a California-licensed attorney and the founder of Lawsuit Informer, an educational platform focused on helping people understand lawsuits, consumer safety issues, and legal rights related to defective products and toxic exposures.

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Last Updated: June 6, 2026

Educational information only. Not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed.