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Offshore Shipbuilding Company

Ship building facilities of all sizes have been a major part of the American industry for many decades. One of the smaller facilities is located in Palataka, Florida. This shipyard, which was established by the Offshore Shipbuilding Company, was built near the St. John's River, and not only created new ocean traversing crafts, but also repaired a variety of small to large sized ships over the years.

Although the Offshore Shipbuilding Co. did not compare in size to many other facilities, it did share the same dangers as any of the larger plants. One of the biggest hazards was one that was not actually recognized by the people who were employed at the company. This threat came in the form of asbestos, a mineral that was used to create a large number of products such as insulation, cement and fire proofing materials. Asbestos is very strong, fire resistant and easy to work with, so it quickly became one of the most common components in hundreds of products starting around the time of the US Industrial Revolution. At the time the mineral was thought to be one of the greatest natural resources ever discovered, but that image would be drastically altered nearly one hundred years later.

Asbestos has been used all over the world for centuries, and many ancient cultures recognized that it is a health hazard. Microscopic fibers from the mineral can break off and float in the air, where they are often inhaled by people without their knowledge. Once taken internally, these fibers will start to destroy healthy tissue within the respiratory system, and they can cause breathing disorders, asbestosis and mesothelioma. These conditions are all very serious, incurable and often fatal.

Everyone who was employed by the Offshore Shipbuilding Co. while products that contained asbestos were in use has been put at risk for developing these and other related illnesses. At any given time there were about 100 employees at this plant, so over the years thousands of people have worked at the site, and faced the unknown danger of exposure to the poisonous mineral, asbestos.

Last modified: December 09 2009.