Northwest Marine Works

There are several shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and the one operated by Northwest Marine Works was established in 1953. The yard was designated to repair and rebuild smaller naval vessels. During World War II, this plant was put to work constantly with the ongoing job of fixing ships that had been damaged by the German submarines known as U-Boats.

The Northwest Marine Works became well known for their high quality work during WWII, and when the war came to an end the plant continued to be very busy with an influx of jobs. Though the shipyard was not as large as many others, it worked consistently to repair small to mid sized crafts throughout the years. Employees of the facility who kept it running put in long hours doing difficult and often times dangerous work. Had they known about a hidden danger they faced each day on the job, they may have reconsidered.

Shipyards were one of the many industrial settings that utilized a variety of products which were made out of a naturally occurring mineral called asbestos. This mineral was included in paint, insulation, cement and almost anything else you can think of for years, and sites like the Northwest Marine Works had a many of these goods in place. Employees spent much of their day surrounded by asbestos, and would often unknowingly breathe in miniscule particles of the mineral that broke free and became airborne. Though they didn't notice when it happened, the fact that the workers inhaled asbestos became a serious health issue over time, because asbestos is a poisonous substance.

People were unaware of the toxicity of asbestos for many years, so workers didn't think twice about spending time around products that contained it. In fact, the dangers of asbestos went widely unnoticed until the later 1970's, and by then millions of people had been subjected to the mineral. After breathing in the particles, victims would be likely to experience tissue scarring and difficulty breathing. These conditions often worsened over time, and turned into respiratory disorders and various types of cancer. One of the more recognizable diseases that people who were employed at Northwest Marine Works and similar facilities developed was mesothelioma, a type of cancer that has no cure and can be fatal. It can take more than a decade for symptoms of asbestos related diseases to become noticeable, so anyone who worked at the Northwest Marine Works while the tainted products were being used should be checked out by their doctor at their earliest convenience.

Last modified: December 09 2009.