Dyer Shipyard
In 1932 the Dyer family of Portland Oregon established the Portland Yachting Service, which soon known as the Dyer Shipyard. Though it was originally intended to service large yachts, the shipyard became a prime location for the construction and repair of large ships in the West Coast.
As with so many other shipyards, the one operated by the Dyer family was utilized by the US Navy during World War II when a great number of naval vessels were being targeted and torpedoed by German U-Boats. Repair yards across the country pitched in and provided speedy work to keep the fleet going as much as possible.
Oregonians who accepted positions at the Dyer Shipyard expected to put in a lot of hard work under dangerous conditions, but they also got something they never bargained for - a threat to their health and even their very lives from a mineral called asbestos that was a major component in paint, fire resistant materials and insulation. It was included in these and hundreds of other products in large quantities for many years, but that was before it was known to be toxic.
Asbestos first became a major resource in the United States during the Industrial Revolution. It was soon being used in some way for almost every aspect of life, and was especially prevalent in the shipyard industry. People who worked at the Portland site were very likely to inadvertently breathe in small amounts of asbestos dust that permeated the air on a regular basis. This dust would settle into their respiratory system and start to deteriorate healthy tissue, leading to massive scarring of the lungs, respiratory disorders, lung cancer and mesothelioma. While all of this was going on, many of the plant workers had no idea of the danger they were facing. For many years most people did not know that asbestos is hazardous, and even when manufacturers were informed, many of them chose to continue using it anyway. The mineral was powerful, served many purposes and very inexpensive. They did not want to lose their "golden egg".
As public awareness about asbestos began to grow, business owners were forced to remove the hazardous products they had within their work sites. Facilities like the Dyer Shipyard had to hire certified crews to come out and dispose of the contaminated goods. Asbestos removal is very dangerous, and should never be handled by anyone who is not well trained - otherwise it could lead to even more people being exposed to the potentially deadly substance.
Employees of the Dyer Shipyard spent a great deal of time around asbestos laden products. Many of them fell ill, and some were tragically lost to the diseases they developed. Anyone who worked at this or other locations where this toxic material was in use should notify their healthcare provider right away.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
