Navy ships with asbestos have made millions sick. It's a tragedy when the things we rely on to keep us safe are the very things that harm us. One staggering example of this is a 1934 law that required all United States naval ships to be constructed using fire retardant substances. Though the law itself was designed to protect maritime workers, the most celebrated fire retardant of the day was asbestos - an effective but ultimately dangerous and deadly material. Not surprisingly, the U.S. Navy was a large-scale consumer of asbestos containing products because engine room workers aboard vessels were required to work with equipment that was hot, electrified, and required a high degree of insulation.