The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was one of the largest and most successful American steel producing companies during the 20th century, known for providing the steel to build the Golden Gate Bridge. Today, Bethlehem Steel Co. is facing the consequences of its predecessor in asbestos lawsuits.

The company’s popularity peaked in World War II, providing steel for the United States Army, Navy, and Airforce. The outbreak of World War II greatly increased the production of steel and the need for employees. By 1945, the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard completed approximately 50 destroyers and 75 landing crafts, while maintaining and repairing countless other ships. At this time, the company had employed thousands of men and women.

However, its business began to decline in the second half of the century, leading it to declare bankruptcy in 2001. This is unfortunate for Bethlehem Steel as they have faced numerous asbestos lawsuits throughout the years.

Former employees allege that they had picked up asbestos-induced diseases from working at the shipyard, and that due to the components of the ships being composed of mostly asbestos products, that there was almost nowhere in the vessels that was asbestos free.

Asbestos products were reportedly most commonly used in high-heat areas in the ships like the insulation system, in order to make the ships flammable-resistant.  These asbestos insulation pipes led to almost every room in the ship, to provide heat and hot water.

Additionally, these insulated pipes even ran directly above sailors bunks, inches away from their faces. The men who were most commonly exposed were boilermen, enginemen, firemen, shipfitters, pipefitters, electricians, machinists, seabees, and civilian shipyard workers.

Bethlehem Steel Asbestos Overview

The employees reportedly wore no protective gear while building the ships, causing them to directly inhale the fibers and to inadvertently transfer the fibers to their loved ones, as the fibers attatch to one’s clothing.

Despite being exposed to the hazard decade ago, former employees of this company are filing asbestos lung cancer lawsuits now because they were not aware until recently that they had been exposed to asbestos, and that it would carry long-term consequences. Symptoms for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma can take between 10 to 40 years to be detected.

The asbestos lawsuits were filed against the company starting in the early 1970s, when the employees realized their breathing complications may have been caused by asbestos exposure. Many of their physicians testified that their conditions had indeed, been caused by asbestos exposure.

For example, a man named Richard Zambor filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against Bethlehem Steel for the wrongful death of his father, which took place several years prior. Zambor’s father had died from asbestos lung cancer, also known as mesothelioma, after being exposed to the substance at his place of employment during the 1950s, which was none other than Bethlehem Steel Corporation. His father was reportedly not given any protective gear to prevent the harmful substance from entering his body.

According to the asbestos lawsuit, his father had died of leukemia but his physicians testified that asbestos had played a significant role in the victim’s demise. Zambor stated that he had spoken with representatives of the defendant before filing the asbestos lawsuit, and that the company has so far recognized 15 different cancers and about 10 diseases related to their asbestos products.

By 2001, more than 3,000 asbestos lawsuits were filed against the former Bethlehem Steel Co. by former employees, alleging that they were exposed to asbestos while on the job.  The asbestos conditions indicated in the mesothelioma lawsuits include:

• Mesothelioma: An aggressive lung cancer specifically caused by asbestos exposure that attacks the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen.
• Asbestos Lung Cancer: When a malignant tumor forms in the lungs and blocks the air passages.
• Asbestosis: A pulmonary condition, where scarred tissue caused by asbestos fibers compounding in the lungs, causing breathing problems and low blood flow.