Union: Boilermakers, Pipefitters & Insulators (shipyard trades)

How Shipyard Workers Were Exposed to Asbestos

During normal duties, Shipyard Workers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Minnesota industrial, commercial, and public construction work from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented exposure pathways drawn from public litigation records and industrial hygiene literature include:

  • Installing asbestos pipe covering and block insulation in engine and fire rooms
  • Working in confined spaces below decks during outfitting and repair
  • Removing asbestos lagging during overhaul, conversion, and refit work
  • Cutting and fitting asbestos-cement panels for bulkheads and decking
  • Tearing out asbestos millboard from boiler casings and stack assemblies

Why This Matters for Minnesota Workers

If you worked as a shipyard workers in Minnesota during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or pleural disease, you may have a legal claim — even if your employer is no longer in business. Many asbestos product manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds that continue to pay qualified claimants based on documented exposure history.

Minnesota Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks

Minnesota keeps the personal-injury clock (Minn. Stat. § 541.051(1)(a) — 2 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (Minn. Stat. § 573.02 — 3 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced Minnesota asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.

Talk to an Experienced Minnesota Asbestos Attorney

A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm in St. Louis can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they pursue a legal claim.

☎ (314) 237-7046

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