The Swan Island Shipyard in Portland, Oregon, is one of four shipyards in the vicinity designed to make T-2 tankers, carrying oil and petroleum products. One of the largest ship repair facilities on the West Coast, the Swan Island Shipyard is owned and operated by Cascade General, Inc. In addition to its ship production capacity, the Swan Island Shipyard is an emergency ship repair yard, able to handle repairs of ships of every size. With eight waterways and permanent vessel repair facilities, the Shipyard does a significant amount of work.
Asbestos Was Prevalent at Shipyards
As is true of all shipyards around the world, the Swan Island Shipyard may have had high-asbestos-content ship components and construction materials that exposed shipyard workers to dangerous levels of this toxic mineral. Years ago, asbestos was thought of as a “miracle material,” especially for use on board sea-going vessels (since it was highly resistant to fire), and many ship components contained significant amounts of asbestos.
However, the carcinogenic properties of asbestos eventually became well known and confirmed. High levels of asbestos have produced many cases of lung cancer, mesothelioma (a type of cancer), and asbestosis among shipyard workers. Strict regulations now limit the uses of asbestos in ship parts and at shipbuilding sites.
Asbestos Limitations Are Too Late for Some
The shipyard workers who were exposed to too much asbestos years (or decades) ago may now be manifesting the symptoms of asbestos diseases - e.g., coughing, shortness of breath, fluid build-up in the chest or abdomen, and pain. The asbestos regulations came too late for these workers.
Learn More about the Swan Island Shipyard
Former shipyard workers and their families can get more information about asbestos and shipyards; contact us today for assistance.
