Colonna's Shipyard

Established in 1875, Colonna's Shipyard, Inc. in the Port of Norfolk, Virginia is the oldest family-run, privately owned, full-service shipyard in the U.S. As a shipbuilding and repair facility for both military and commercially owned watercraft, Colonna's Shipyard has earned a reputation for performing quality, affordable work in a timely manner.

While Colonna's Shipyard plays an important role in Norfolk's economy, as well as its defense and shipping industries, it has also been an arena for dangerous asbestos exposure. As with any shipyard workers, employees of Colonna's Shipyard should understand the risks of asbestos exposure and be familiar with their legal rights, should they develop an asbestos-related disease.

The Colonna's Shipyard's Size and Role

To service both small and large water vessels alike, Colonna's Shipyard is housed on 50 acres that are home to:

• two floating drydocks (one weighing 17,200 tons and another weighing 2,800 tons)
• two marine railways
• various shops and repair buildings

Within these facilities, Colonna's Shipyard employs over 400 skilled workers, including:

• boilermakers
• electricians
• engineers
• machinists
• mechanics
• painters (or sandblasters)
• pipefitters
• shipbuilders
• shipfitters
• steel workers
• welders

With such a varied and skilled workforce, Colonna's Shipyard can perform a vast array of possible ship repairs and renovations, successfully able to take on projects for ships up to 850 feet long and 29 feet in mean draft.

In addition to servicing Navy and other military ships, the Colonna's Shipyard also does repair work for privately owned watercraft, including megayachts – a niche service that eventually became a central part of the shipyard's business.

Asbestos Exposure at Colonna's Shipyard

Given the range of repair work performed at the Colonna's Shipyard, workers are naturally exposed to a number of different toxins on a daily basis, including asbestos. Unlike other health threats at shipyards, asbestos exposure is generally passive and, therefore, can occur for years without causing shipyard workers to develop any noticeable symptoms.

Some of the ways in which Colonna's Shipyard workers come into contact with hazardous asbestos fibers include through:

• boilers, kilns and industrial ovens
• caulkings and cements
• drywall and wallboards
• fireproofed clothing and materials
• pipes and pipe insulation
• sealants, sprays and tars
• tiles and shingles (especially roofing shingles)
• water tanks and surrounding insulation

Keep in mind that asbestos will only cause health problems if workers continually inhale asbestos fibers. Intact and undisturbed asbestos doesn't cause asbestos fibers to be released into the air and, consequently, isn't a health hazard.

Due to the demolition and construction that typically marks shipyard work, however, many of Colonna's Shipyard workers are regularly exposed to toxic asbestos fibers. Over time, prolonged inhalation of these asbestos fibers can cause workers to develop a number of different cancers, particularly mesothelioma and lung cancer, as well as other incurable diseases, such as asbestosis.

To learn more about asbestos exposure at Colonna’s Shipyard, contact us today.