As a major player in the development of Washington State's shipping industry, the Lake Union Drydock and Machine Works was created in 1919, making it one of the earliest built shipyards in Seattle. Although the Lake Union Drydock has a long and honored history in Seattle, including its distinction of having the only all-wooden dock in the city, it has also been a forum for widespread, cancer-causing asbestos exposure.
The Role of the Lake Union Drydock
Located in the Eastlake District of Seattle, the Lake Union Drydock is housed on a 12-acre property that contains three dry docks, each of which can service watercraft up to 410 feet long. In its sprawling facilities, the Lake Union Drydock specializes in repairing various types of ships, including:
- aircraft carriers
- ammunitions ships
- cruise liners
- fishing vessels
- passenger ferries
- submarines
- tug boats
- waste disposal vessels
While its early operations included building such famous vessels as the Electra and the Principia, in modern times, the Lake Union Drydock focuses on doing large-scale ship repairs. Consequently, the Lake Union Drydock regularly does repairs on ships owned by various organizations, including:
- commercial fishing businesses
- cruise lines
- the military, particularly for the Navy
- Washington State government
How Asbestos Exposure Occurs at Lake Union Drydock
Because workers at the Lake Union Drydock repair all types of ships, they come into contact with a number of different hazards, one of which is asbestos. Asbestos' natural durability and resilience has meant that manufacturers have used it to make thousands of different materials, including the following that are regularly used in shipyards:
- fire-resistant clothing and equipment
- electrical insulation
- incinerators and industrial ovens
- roofing shingles
- sealants and sprays
- tiles
- textiles
- tar
Additionally, the following factors can intensify shipyard workers' level of asbestos exposure:
- the construction and demolition process, both of which keep harmful asbestos fibers airborne (at which point they can be easily inhaled, causing serious health complications)
- poor ventilation and cramped quarters in vessels, both of which maximize workers' asbestos exposure
Over years of working at Lake Union Drydock (or any shipyard), workers can develop irreversible, possibly fatal conditions, ranging from various types of cancer to chronic breathing problems.
If you or a loved has worked at the Lake Union Drydock and has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition, contact us today for more information regarding your options.
