Vaello Shipyard is among those shipyards that were operational before the 1980s, and in its activity of shipbuilding and repairs, asbestos was often used. Heat insulations in military shipbuilding were mainly made with asbestos, leading to asbestos exposure on all shipyards. In accord with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, millions of civilian employees and forces in active military service were exposed to asbestos. Statistics estimate that 1 in 500 shipyard workers was an asbestos insulator. Historically, naval shipyard workers were among the most frequently exposed. The following jobs put shipyard workers in direct contact with asbestos: welders, machinists, pipefitters, electricians, boilermakers, and painters.