Asbestos Exposure at Job Sites

Bergman Oslund Udo Little has specialized in asbestos job site exposure and mesothelioma lawsuits since 1995. Besides fighting for client compensation, the firm maintains a proprietary database of asbestos job sites, including public facilities, military bases, manufacturing plants, and shipyards. 

Asbestos was widely used in many industries throughout the 20th century. As a result, countless workers were exposed to the toxic substance and have developed asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. Since 1995, the experienced lawyers at Bergman Oslund Udo Little have focused on locations in the Pacific Northwest to help those harmed by asbestos exposure get the compensation they deserve. 

Each attorney has a connection to the Pacific Northwest. Some are lifelong residents. Others moved here for law school. All are passionate about getting justice for those harmed while working at the area’s shipyards, manufacturing plants, and military bases. 

Common Asbestos Job Sites Throughout WA and OR

The Pacific Northwest is home to many job sites with asbestos exposure risks. Shipyards, paper mills, and power plants are among the many asbestos job sites throughout Washington and Oregon where workers were regularly exposed to the carcinogenic mineral. The following are some job sites in the Pacific Northwest with extensive histories of asbestos exposure. 

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

Many clients seeking compensation for asbestos-related illnesses have worked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. 

During the 20th century, asbestos was used in shipbuilding due to its insulating properties. The material was used to reinforce ships and make them fireproof. It was also used on equipment, boilers, pipes and in gaskets and packing. Shipyard employees experienced moderate to high exposure levels, increasing their likelihood of developing illnesses like mesothelioma later in life. 

Todd Shipyards

Todd Shipyards in Seattle used asbestos because of its heat-resistant qualities. Marine equipment, building sheeting, boilers, incinerators, hot water pipes, and fireproof blankets were all made with asbestos. Workers were exposed to varying degrees at this asbestos job site.

Several former Todd Shipyards employees have hired an asbestos lawyer in Washington to help them get compensation for the mesothelioma they developed after years of working there. 

Centralia Power Plant

Washington State Certified Asbestos Inspectors made multiple trips to Centralia Power Plant between 1985 and 2000 to remove remaining asbestos used for thermal insulation there. But there’s no guarantee all of it’s gone. Even someone hired after 2000 risks on-site asbestos exposure. 

Those employed at Centralia Power Plant before 1985 were undoubtedly exposed to the mineral through contact with asbestos pipe coverings, asbestos-insulated boilers, gaskets, packing, and asbestos-containing cement. Workers’ family members may have experienced secondhand exposure from the fibers attached to their loved one’s hair, skin, and clothes when they returned from work. 

Hanford Site

The Hanford Site was established in 1943 to create nuclear weapons for World War II. Like many other nuclear facilities of that time, the site used asbestos-containing items, such as floor tiles, pipe insulation, and boiler linings. Decades later, asbestos was discovered in the location’s 1902-D Water Tower, the 294-W building, and waste material from the 2723-W building.

Because there was so much asbestos at the Hanford Site, many of its former workers inhaled the mineral’s fibers, greatly increasing their risk of developing an asbestos-related illness. 

Skagit Oil Refineries

The good news about Skagit County oil refineries coming to Washington in the 1950s was they created jobs. The bad news is that those jobs exposed workers to cancer-causing asbestos.

Sites like Puget Sound Refinery and Marathon Anacortes Refinery used asbestos in parts and materials, including protective gear, refinery equipment, building materials, and insulation installed before the 1980s. Working at Skagit County refineries put workers in positions to inhale or ingest asbestos, especially if they were welders, electricians, boilermakers, and pipefitters. 

Cowlitz County Paper Mills

Each of Cowlitz County’s paper mills relied on asbestos in machinery until the 1980s. This asbestos job site used the mineral for fireproofing and durability, too. 

Any paper mill worker employed before then risked asbestos exposure. Parties with the most contact were maintenance personnel, people who worked directly with asbestos fabric, and workers handling pulping, boiler, and papermaking. 

Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill

Crown Zellerbach was formed in 1928 when the Zellerbach Paper Company merged with the Crown Willamette Paper Company. The company grew to be a timber industry giant. 

Unfortunately, Crown Zellerbach mills, including the Camas, Washington, location, were built before the dangers of asbestos came to light. Mill workers were in frequent contact with the carcinogen because it was a main component of much of the equipment and the insulated pipes that transported materials through the mills. 

St. Regis Pulp & Paper Mill

Much like the other paper mills built around the same time, St. Regis Pulp & Paper Mill used asbestos in its production work. Boilers, steam pipes, valves, and pumps were covered in asbestos materials for insulation, and the laborers in charge of repairing those systems were regularly exposed. 

Even workers who didn’t physically handle asbestos inhaled the particles emitted into the air by those who did. Everyone at this asbestos job site was exposed to high levels regularly. 

Swan Island Shipyards

Swan Island Shipyards opened in Portland, Oregon, in 1940. Workers were routinely exposed because efforts to remove asbestos from job sites weren’t undertaken until 40 years later. Workers handled asbestos insulation installed between decks and often used compressed asbestos molds and asbestos blankets as shields. 

Large numbers of Swan Island laborers were exposed to high levels of asbestos. Many with mesothelioma diagnoses hired asbestos lawyers in Oregon to pursue compensation. 

ALCOA Aluminum Smelter

In the first half of the 20th century, shipyards and paper mills were notable asbestos job sites. So were metal works facilities, like ALCOA Aluminum Smelter in Wenatchee, Washington. Asbestos was found throughout the aluminum plant—in the materials from which the building was constructed, in the machinery used to make and refine aluminum, and in the fire-resistant clothing workers wore for safety. Asbestos was also used to insulate smelting pots.

Though ALCOA executives knew how harmful asbestos was as early as the 1940s, they didn’t phase it out until 40 years later. By then, countless workers had been exposed to it and accidentally shared that exposure with their families via the asbestos fibers they brought home on their hair, skin, and clothing.

Weyerhaeuser Paper Mill

Unfortunately, asbestos exposure was the norm for workers at Weyerhaeuser Paper Mill in Longview, Washington. Like its other industry counterparts, the company used asbestos as an insulator for pipes and vessels during pulping and boiling. Workers often had to perform maintenance on these machines and made direct contact with the harmful mineral.

Others at the paper mill also experienced asbestos exposure. The materials used to construct the facility—such as tiles and cement—often contained asbestos. That means if any worker came into contact with decaying material, they more than likely inhaled asbestos fibers. 

Asbestos Exposure in the Military

Workers risk asbestos exposure at job sites in several occupations, and military active-duty members are no exception. Each military branch drastically reduced the use of asbestos in the 1970s, but those who served before then came in contact with the harmful mineral. Asbestos remains present in ships, vehicles, and living quarters used by active-duty service members. So, unfortunately, avoiding significant asbestos exposure in the military is impossible. 

The branch that faces the most significant asbestos exposure is the Navy. Asbestos was used on ships for fire safety, insulation, operating machinery, and waterproofing. However, no branch is safe from exposure to the substance. Common sources of military asbestos exposure include:

Coast Guard vessels
Aircraft
Land vehicles, jeeps, and trucks
Tanks
Communication centers
Military bases
Fire blankets
Government and administrative buildings

Risks of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelial tissue that lines internal organs, and its only known cause is prolonged asbestos exposure. Symptoms of the disease vary depending on the affected organs. The cancer primarily attacks the lungs and stomach but can also affect the heart or testicles. Most mesothelioma patients commonly experience the following symptoms:

Side or lower back pain
Shortness of breath, even when resting
Painful breathing
Persistent dry cough
Dysphagia, or trouble swallowing

Bergman Oslund Udo Little offers a free online mesothelioma guide. It’s wise to familiarize yourself with mesothelioma symptoms, but you shouldn’t assume that you have the disease just because you are experiencing one or a few. Only a doctor specializing in mesothelioma can give an accurate diagnosis after walking you through the following steps.

Physical examination – Before or during this stage is the best time to alert the physician of potential asbestos exposure in your past, even if you think it occurred too long ago to matter. Mesothelioma symptoms don’t usually develop until 20 to 60 years after initial exposure. Share any second-hand exposures you may have experienced through contact with the clothing of a family member or friend who worked at an asbestos job site. 
Imaging and diagnostic tests – After the physical exam, the doctor may order an X-ray, MRI, CT scan, or PET scan to determine if cancer is present, where it’s present, and to what extent. 
Biopsy – Last but certainly not least, the physician will enlist a pathologist to conduct a biopsy to examine your tissue under a microscope. Then, the pathologist will determine if there are mesothelioma cells in your body and, if there are, what type they are.

Mesothelioma treatment options vary depending on the individual’s case. However, doctors may suggest surgical procedures, radiation, chemotherapy, experimental drugs, or alternative therapies.

Legal Options for Those Exposed to Asbestos on the Job

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation or medical care, and our compassionate team at Bergman Oslund Udo Little can help you file a claim. 

Our Pacific Northwest firm prides itself on delivering personalized attention to all our clients. We work closely with mesothelioma victims to hear how the disease has impacted their lives. At Bergman Oslund Udo Little, our attorneys understand the toll a mesothelioma diagnosis can take on an individual and their family, so we patiently walk each client through the process of filing a claim. 

Our team of experienced lawyers at Bergman Oslund Udo Little is noted for its compassion for clients and vigorous advocacy in the courtroom. We have won over a billion dollars in verdicts and recovered settlements for our clients. Contact our team for a free case review.

FAQs About Asbestos Exposure at Job Sites

Which Tradespeople Are Most at Risk of Exposure to Asbestos?

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, construction workers and those who work in building and equipment maintenance are the most at risk of asbestos exposure. 

In times of disaster—such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks—the list extends to include early responders, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. When a building collapses, an asbestos-containing mix of matter is released, and anyone nearby experiences short-term exposure. 

When Was Asbestos Most Commonly Used?

People long knew how useful asbestos could be, but it didn’t become a common construction material until the late 19th century. Over time, the mineral’s use expanded beyond construction work. Asbestos became a component in fire-resistant clothing for firefighters, hot pads for food production, automobile brake pads and clutch fittings, thermal insulation, and even cat litter. 

Per the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, asbestos use didn’t decrease until the 1970s, when studies revealed the material’s link to adverse health effects. 

Where Are You Most Likely To Be Exposed to Asbestos?

Today, asbestos exposure is most common while repairing, renovating, removing, or performing routine maintenance on a product or building assembled years ago with asbestos. 

Military Ships With Asbestos Exposure

Because of its durability, high heat tolerance, and affordability, asbestos was used to reinforce ships—even U.S. Navy vessels—and make them fireproof.

If you’re a Navy veteran who was aboard a cruiser, such as the USS Alaska CB 1, a battleship, such as the USS Alabama BB 60, or an auxiliary vessel, such as the USNS Asterion T-AF-63, you were likely exposed to asbestos during active duty. 

If you were aboard any of these ships, you were likely exposed to asbestos:

Navy Cruisers