South Portland Shipyard

One of nearly 150 shipyards across America, the 6.9 acre South Portland Shipyard in Portland, Oregon was the creation of WWII industrialization that transformed the American workplace. 

Asbestos Exposure at South Portland Shipyard

Many jobs at the South Portland Shipyard, starting in the 1940s, were worked in tight, restricted spaces with little-to-no air circulation.  Workers spent over 1,200 hours a month and more than 15,000 hours a year acutely exposed to the elements of industrial-heavy jobs such as blasting, grinding, breaking or sanding that saturated the air with asbestos.

Uses of Asbestos in South Portland Shipyard:

•  Boiler & Pipe Coating
• Insulating Electric Wires & Industrial Equipment
• Fireproofing & Fire Containment on Ships
• Rust Proofing
• Roofing in Ship Cabins
• Regular Pesticide treatment

Asbestos-Related Illnesses

Asbestos is a mineral substance that becomes most dangerous in-and-around confined spaces because minimal ventilation acts as an incubator for these microscopic asbestos fibers to be later inhaled by anyone occupying the room. Asbestos fibers are extremely durable and difficult to purge after inhaled into the body, accumulating in the heart, abdomen liver and lungs and sometimes resulting in mesothelioma.

malignant mesothelioma is an asbestos caused disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the lining of the lungs, chest or abdomen. A physical exam or chest x-ray should be performed by a doctor if someone experiences one or more of the following symptoms and has a history of asbestos exposure:

• Trouble breathing
• Pain under rib cage
• Pain or swelling of abdomen
• Lumps in abdomen
• Weight Loss for no reason

Risk of Asbestos Exposure to Workers

Asbestos’ popularity increased dramatically in the late 19th century because of its high resistance to heat, electricity, and chemical damage, along with its sound absorption and tensile strength.  The South Portland Shipyard poses high asbestos inhalation risks to past or present workers since most materials were insulated or coated with this harmful material. 

Since asbestos can take around 50 years to manifest as cancer, workers from the South Portland Shipyard or other American shipyards during the mid-1900s are only now beginning to develop symptoms. While shipyards are a sure place to find asbestos, there are familiar places as well:

• Industrial Factories
• Office Buildings
• Schools
• Homes  

Asbestos Prevention & Litigation

Today more preventative rules and actions exist to prevent asbestos exposure but many buildings, industrial plants and shipyards built during the WWII industrial boom still contain dangerous asbestos elements. 

Asbestos litigation is the longest, most expensive mass tort in U.S. history, involving more than 8,400 defendants and 730,000 claimants as of 2002 according to the RAND Corporation.  Analysts estimate that that total amount of asbestos litigation in America alone totals over $250 billion.  If you believe you suffer from asbestos related symptoms, please contact us today.