Navy Ship’s Fitters (SF) — the enlisted rating responsible for pipe fitting, welding, hull repair, and structural fabrication work aboard repair ships, submarine tenders, and destroyer tenders, and at naval shipyards — were directly involved in the cutting, fitting, and installation of pipe systems throughout Navy vessel hull repair and maintenance operations. SF ratings aboard repair vessels and at shore repair facilities cut through existing asbestos-insulated pipe systems during repair operations, removed and replaced asbestos-containing pipe covering materials when accessing pipes for repair, and handled asbestos-containing gasket materials in pipe flange connections during pipe system assembly and repair. Ship’s Fitters were among the Navy enlisted ratings with the most direct and frequent handling contact with asbestos-containing pipe insulation and gasket materials, as pipe fitting work inherently required disturbing the pipe insulation and flange gaskets in the existing pipe systems being repaired or extended.

Pipe Fitting and Repair Asbestos

SF ratings in pipe fitting work encountered concentrated asbestos contact:

  • Asbestos pipe covering removal during pipe repair — Navy vessel pipe repair operations requiring access to existing pipe sections required Ship’s Fitters to cut through and remove the asbestos pipe covering insulation surrounding the pipe before the pipe could be cut, flanged, or welded. SF ratings performing pipe repair and pipe extension work aboard repair vessels and at naval shipyard pipe repair facilities removed asbestos pipe covering material from pipe sections during each pipe repair operation, with the removal of existing asbestos pipe covering releasing asbestos fiber from the cut and disturbed insulation during each removal operation
  • Pipe flange gasket removal and replacement — Ship’s Fitters separating flanged pipe connections during pipe repair and pipe system maintenance operations encountered and replaced asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the separated pipe flange joint faces. SF ratings breaking flanged joints — separating flange faces for pipe removal, valve replacement, or fitting change — disturbed the asbestos-containing gasket material at each separated flange during the pipe fitting operation
  • New pipe installation with asbestos covering — Ship’s Fitters installing new pipe sections in repair work through the mid-1970s applied asbestos pipe covering material to the newly installed pipe runs as part of the pipe installation process, directly applying asbestos pipe covering sections to new pipe installations and handling the asbestos insulation material throughout the pipe covering application process

Tender and Repair Ship Machine Shop Asbestos

SF ratings in tender and repair ship facilities accumulated facility asbestos:

  • Submarine and destroyer tender pipe shop construction — the pipe shop facilities aboard submarine tenders and destroyer tenders where SF ratings performed pipe fabrication work were constructed with asbestos-containing ship interior construction materials in the pipe shop space overhead, bulkheads, and utility systems. Ship’s Fitters working in tender pipe shop spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-insulated tender construction in addition to direct handling exposure from pipe fitting operations
  • Naval shipyard pipe shop facility construction — the pipe shop buildings at naval shipyards where pipe fabrication and repair was performed were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials in the pipe shop facility construction. SF ratings working in naval shipyard pipe shop buildings accumulated background asbestos exposure from the pipe shop facility construction throughout their shipyard pipe fitting assignments

VA Claims for Navy Ship’s Fitters

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy pipe fitting and hull repair operations. Ship’s Fitters who performed pipe repair, pipe covering removal, and pipe flange gasket maintenance aboard repair vessels and at naval shipyards and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.