Hunters Point Naval Shipyard: 17,000 Peak Workers Exposed to Asbestos in San Francisco

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (HPNS) in San Francisco employed up to 17,000 workers at its World War II peak, and nearly all of them handled or breathed asbestos fibers during ship construction, repair, and overhaul operations between 1941 and 1974. Today the 500-acre facility sits on the EPA Superfund National Priorities List, and thousands of former workers and their families continue to develop mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer decades after exposure. If you worked at Hunters Point, experienced mesothelioma attorneys can evaluate your legal options, and asbestos trust funds may provide compensation without the need for litigation.

What Was Hunters Point Naval Shipyard's History and Mission?

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard began operations in 1941 when the U.S. Navy acquired the former Bethlehem Steel drydock facility on San Francisco Bay's southeastern waterfront. Within months of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the shipyard expanded into a sprawling 500-acre industrial complex capable of building, repairing, converting, and decommissioning warships for the Pacific Fleet. At peak wartime capacity, HPNS employed approximately 17,000 civilian workers and military personnel operating around the clock in three shifts.^[1]

The shipyard's primary mission during World War II was rapid repair and return-to-service of battle-damaged vessels from the Pacific theater. Destroyers, cruisers, battleships, aircraft carriers, and supply ships all passed through Hunters Point's drydocks. After the war, the facility took on a new role when the Navy established the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) at the site in 1946 to study the effects of nuclear weapons on ships, adding radiological contamination to the already extensive asbestos hazard.^[11]

HPNS continued operating through the Korean War and Vietnam War eras, performing ship overhauls and decommissioning aging vessels through its closure in 1974. The facility processed hundreds of ships over its 33-year operational history, each one requiring extensive work with asbestos-containing materials common to naval shipyards of the era.^[2]

"Hunters Point was a massive industrial operation where asbestos was everywhere. Every pipe, every boiler, every turbine on every ship that came through those drydocks contained asbestos. Workers spent entire careers breathing those fibers without ever being told about the danger. Now, 50 years later, they're getting diagnosed with mesothelioma."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

Why Was Asbestos So Extensively Used at Hunters Point?

Asbestos was considered the essential material for naval vessel construction from the 1930s through the early 1970s. Its heat resistance, fireproofing capability, acoustic dampening properties, and low cost made it the standard insulation material throughout the U.S. Navy fleet. At Hunters Point, asbestos appeared in virtually every component of every ship that entered the drydocks.^[5]

During the wartime production surge, safety considerations were virtually nonexistent. The urgency to return damaged ships to the Pacific Fleet meant workers handled raw asbestos materials without respirators, protective clothing, or dust suppression. Ship compartments below deck, where most insulation work occurred, trapped asbestos fibers in the enclosed air for hours. Workers emerged covered in asbestos dust that they carried home on their clothing, exposing family members to secondary contamination.^[6]

"What makes shipyard cases like Hunters Point so legally significant is that the manufacturers knew asbestos was deadly decades before these workers were exposed. Internal industry documents prove that companies continued selling asbestos products to the Navy without warnings, prioritizing profits over thousands of lives."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

Which Hunters Point Workers Faced the Greatest Asbestos Exposure?

While every worker at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard risked asbestos exposure, certain trades experienced dramatically higher fiber concentrations due to direct contact with asbestos-containing materials in confined spaces. According to Hunters Point exposure documentation, the following occupations carried the greatest risk:^[10]

Insulators and Laggers worked directly with raw asbestos insulation materials, cutting, fitting, and applying chrysotile and amosite wrapping to pipes, boilers, and turbines. These workers experienced the highest cumulative fiber exposure of any shipyard trade. Pipe Fitters connected and sealed thousands of pipe joints using asbestos gaskets and packing, generating fiber-laden dust with every cut and adjustment.

Boilermakers assembled and repaired high-pressure boiler systems surrounded by deteriorating asbestos lagging. Removal of old insulation during overhaul operations released massive quantities of airborne fibers. Electricians pulled and terminated asbestos-insulated cables throughout ship interiors. Welders worked adjacent to asbestos insulation that decomposed and released fibers when exposed to welding heat.

Shipfitters, Machinists, and Painters all worked in the same confined compartments where asbestos operations were underway, breathing ambient fibers even when their own tasks did not involve direct asbestos handling. General Laborers swept and cleaned work areas, stirring settled asbestos dust back into the air.^[9]

What Is the Superfund Status of Hunters Point Naval Shipyard?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed Hunters Point Naval Shipyard on the National Priorities List (Superfund) in 1989, designating it one of the most contaminated sites in the nation. The 500-acre facility is contaminated with asbestos, heavy metals (lead, mercury, copper), petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and radiological materials from the NRDL operations.^[4]

The Navy and EPA divided the shipyard into six cleanup parcels, each with distinct contamination profiles and remediation timelines. Cleanup has been ongoing for over 35 years. The remediation process has been complicated by fraudulent soil testing data discovered in 2017, when it was revealed that Tetra Tech EC, the primary cleanup contractor, had falsified thousands of soil and radiological samples. This scandal forced the Navy to retest large portions of the site, delaying the cleanup by years and raising serious questions about the integrity of prior remediation work.^[13]

Asbestos remains present in soil, building debris, underground utility lines, and residual industrial materials throughout the site. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the Navy's NAVFAC continue to oversee cleanup activities and community health monitoring. For former workers, the Superfund designation confirms the severity of contamination and strengthens the basis for legal claims.^[14]

"The Superfund designation at Hunters Point is not just an environmental label. It is a federal acknowledgment that this site was so contaminated it posed a serious threat to human health. That designation, combined with decades of exposure records, gives former workers powerful evidence for their mesothelioma claims."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

What Health Risks Do Former Hunters Point Workers Face?

Asbestos exposure at Hunters Point created long-term health risks that are still emerging decades after the shipyard closed. The most serious conditions include:^[8]

Malignant Mesothelioma: The deadliest consequence of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma develops in the thin membrane lining the lungs (pleural), abdomen (peritoneal), or heart (pericardial). Median survival ranges from 12-21 months with treatment. Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20-50 years, meaning workers exposed at Hunters Point during the 1960s and 1970s are still being diagnosed in the 2020s.

Asbestosis: Chronic scarring of lung tissue from inhaled asbestos fibers causes progressive shortness of breath, chest tightness, and reduced lung function. Asbestosis itself is not cancer, but its presence confirms significant asbestos exposure and is associated with increased mesothelioma risk.

Lung Cancer: Asbestos exposure increases the risk of developing non-small-cell lung cancer, particularly in workers who also have a smoking history. The combination of asbestos exposure and smoking can multiply lung cancer risk by a factor of 50 or more.^[6]

Pleural Disease: Pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and pleural effusions are non-cancerous conditions caused by asbestos that can cause chest pain and breathing difficulty. While less severe than mesothelioma, they indicate asbestos exposure and warrant ongoing medical surveillance.

What Legal Compensation Options Exist for Hunters Point Workers?

Former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases have several compensation pathways that can be pursued simultaneously:^[12]

Personal Injury Lawsuits: Workers can file lawsuits against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were used at Hunters Point. These claims allege negligence, strict product liability, and failure to warn. California courts have a strong track record of substantial mesothelioma verdicts, with awards frequently exceeding $5 million. Multiple manufacturers can be named as defendants in a single case.

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims: Over 60 asbestos manufacturers that supplied products to naval shipyards have filed bankruptcy and established trust funds. These funds hold more than $30 billion in available compensation. Trust fund claims do not require litigation and typically process within 6-12 months. Many HPNS workers qualify for multiple trust fund claims because dozens of manufacturers supplied asbestos products to the shipyard.^[3]

California Workers' Compensation: Former civilian employees of Hunters Point may qualify for workers' compensation benefits including full medical treatment coverage, temporary and permanent disability payments, and death benefits for surviving family members.

VA Disability Benefits: Navy veterans who served at or were stationed near Hunters Point may qualify for VA disability compensation. The VA recognizes asbestos-related diseases as service-connected conditions and provides monthly disability payments (up to $3,938 per month at 100% rating), free healthcare through VA medical centers, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses. Veterans should file claims using VA Form 21-526EZ.^[7]

"The key for Hunters Point workers is understanding that these compensation sources are not mutually exclusive. A veteran who worked at HPNS can file VA disability claims, pursue trust fund compensation from multiple manufacturers, and bring a personal injury lawsuit, all at the same time. We have seen combined recoveries well into seven figures for shipyard workers with documented exposure."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

What Is California's Statute of Limitations for Mesothelioma Claims?

California applies a one-year statute of limitations for personal injury asbestos claims from the date of diagnosis or discovery of the disease, and a two-year statute for wrongful death claims from the date of death. This is critical for mesothelioma cases because the disease typically develops 20-50 years after exposure.^[5]

California's "discovery rule" recognizes the extended latency period of asbestos-related diseases. The filing deadline begins when the patient is diagnosed or reasonably should have been diagnosed, not when the exposure occurred. This means a worker exposed at Hunters Point in 1965 who is diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2026 has one year from the 2026 diagnosis to file a personal injury claim.

Because the California filing deadline is among the shortest in the nation, consulting with a mesothelioma attorney promptly after diagnosis is essential to preserve legal rights. Trust fund claims and VA benefit claims have separate deadlines and should also be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis.

How Does Environmental Contamination Affect the Bayview-Hunters Point Community?

The legacy of asbestos contamination at Hunters Point extends beyond the shipyard fence to the surrounding Bayview-Hunters Point community. Windborne asbestos fibers from disturbed soil, deteriorating building materials, and construction activities at the former shipyard have been detected in the surrounding neighborhood. Community health studies have documented elevated rates of respiratory illness and cancer in the area.^[4]

The 2017 discovery that cleanup contractor Tetra Tech EC falsified soil testing data intensified community concern. Two Tetra Tech supervisors were criminally convicted for the fraud, which compromised the reliability of years of environmental testing. The Navy was forced to conduct extensive retesting, and community advocacy groups continue to push for independent environmental monitoring.

Residents who lived near the shipyard, even those who never worked there, may have grounds for legal claims if they develop asbestos-related diseases. The documented environmental contamination and Superfund status provide a strong evidentiary foundation for community exposure claims.

How Can Former Hunters Point Workers Get a Free Case Evaluation?

If you worked at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard or lived in the Bayview-Hunters Point community and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer, time-sensitive legal options are available. California's one-year filing deadline makes prompt action essential. Take our free case evaluation quiz to understand your options, or call (866) 222-9990 for a confidential consultation with an experienced mesothelioma attorney. All consultations are free, and representation is on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless compensation is recovered.

Gather any available documentation including employment records, military service records, union membership cards, Social Security earnings statements, medical records, and any photographs from the shipyard. Even partial records can help establish exposure history and identify responsible manufacturers for trust fund claims and lawsuits.

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