For the most part of the last century, Bethlehem Steel Corporation was one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world. It was founded in 1857, and it operated until 2003. Established in 1895, Bethlehem Steel Staten Island was one of the most important shipyards of this company, which was located in New York. During World War II, it received 6 million from the U.S. Navy to expand and manufacture ships of up to 516 feet. Regrettably, the plants of the company used asbestos equipment and materials, which greatly endangered the health of workers. In the plants of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, boiler rooms were one of the major sources of asbestos exposure, as boilers would be insulated with asbestos. Boilers would be lined with asbestos refractory materials containing asbestos.