Tampa Shipbuilding Asbestos Exposure Sites and Historical Documentation
Tampa's shipbuilding legacy spans over a century, creating one of Florida's most significant concentrations of occupational asbestos exposure. From the massive Tampa Shipbuilding Company (TASCO) operations during World War II to current maritime facilities, Tampa Bay has remained a critical shipbuilding center. This research database documents the historical context and facilities where workers faced extensive asbestos exposure during construction, repair, and maintenance of military and commercial vessels.
Tampa Shipbuilding Company (TASCO) Historical Analysis
Operational Timeline: 1917-1947
- • Founded: 1917 as Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
- • Peak Employment: 16,000 workers during WWII (Tampa's largest employer)
- • Total Production: Multiple vessel classes including minesweepers and destroyer escorts
- • Location: Current Gulf Marine Repair site occupies former TASCO facilities
Asbestos Exposure Risk Assessment
- • High-Risk Occupations: Welders, pipefitters, insulators, electricians
- • Exposure Sources: Engine room insulation, pipe lagging, gaskets, valve packing
- • Peak Risk Period: 1940-1945 wartime production surge
- • Documentation: Navy shipbuilding specifications required extensive asbestos use
Historical Context: TASCO's Strategic Importance
The Tampa Shipbuilding Company emerged as a critical wartime production facility, constructing over 30 vessels for the U.S. Navy between 1940-1945. Located on the Hillsborough River, the shipyard's strategic position provided deep-water access while maintaining protected inland operations away from potential submarine threats along Florida's coast.
TASCO's workforce represented one of the largest industrial concentrations in Florida during the 1940s, with workers from across the southeastern United States relocating to Tampa for employment. The rapid expansion of operations necessitated extensive use of asbestos-containing materials in shipbuilding, following standard Navy specifications that mandated fireproof insulation throughout vessel construction.
McCloskey & Company Shipyard Operations
Historical Context: 1942-1948
Operational Overview
- • Primary contractor for Liberty ship construction
- • Specialized in rapid vessel assembly techniques
- • Employed advanced welding methods requiring extensive insulation
- • Coordinated with TASCO for increased regional production capacity
Asbestos Implementation
- • Engine room thermal barriers utilized chrysotile asbestos blankets
- • Steam pipe systems wrapped with amosite-containing insulation
- • Boiler room construction incorporated crocidolite fireproofing materials
- • Deck penetration seals manufactured with asbestos-cement compounds
Worker Exposure Documentation
McCloskey's operations created particularly hazardous conditions during the installation and removal of thermal insulation systems. Workers regularly handled raw asbestos materials without protective equipment, as occupational safety regulations were minimal during wartime production. The shipyard's accelerated construction schedule resulted in increased dust generation as insulation materials were cut, fitted, and modified during vessel assembly.
Modern Tampa Maritime Operations and Continued Exposure Risks
Gulf Marine Repair Facility
Location: 4551 Maritime Boulevard, Tampa
Operations: Ship repair and maintenance services
Legacy Impact: Occupies former TASCO shipbuilding site
Current Exposure Risks
- • Legacy asbestos materials in older facility infrastructure
- • Potential exposure during renovation of historic buildings
- • Maintenance of vessels constructed during asbestos-era shipbuilding
- • Soil contamination from historical asbestos waste disposal
Tampa Port Authority Operations
Facility: Port of Tampa Bay
Activities: Commercial vessel maintenance and cargo operations
Workforce: Longshoremen, mechanics, maintenance personnel
Occupational Hazards
- • Maintenance of ships containing original asbestos components
- • Cargo handling equipment with legacy asbestos brake systems
- • Warehouse structures containing asbestos roofing materials
- • Dock infrastructure with asbestos-cement piping systems
Legal Implications for Modern Exposure
Current maritime operations in Tampa continue to present asbestos exposure risks, particularly for workers involved in ship repair and maintenance activities. Legal precedent supports compensation claims for workers exposed at facilities with documented historical asbestos use, including successor liability for companies operating at former shipbuilding sites.
Related Tampa Exposure Site Research
Our comprehensive database documents over 1,770+ verified asbestos exposure sites across Florida, with detailed facility information specific to Tampa's industrial and maritime operations.