Astoria Voyage Repair Station
Located by the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon, Astoria Voyage Repair Station is owned and operated by Cascade General, Inc. Astoria Voyage Repair Station is primarily responsible for servicing vessels up to 1,100 feet in length.
The station has a fuel tank farm and a 120-ton crane used to service large ships. Its marine complex features three dry dock repair berths as well as on-water upland repair and storage facilities. The Astoria Voyage Repair Station also provides vessels with pier-side emergency repairs alongside 40-foot waters.
During the first half of the 20th century, repair stations with these capacities were in high demand. World War I and World War II forced the United States to increase its production of naval equipment, including warships, battleships and cargo ships.
Asbestos Exposure at Astoria Voyage Repair Station
By World War II, many of the companies that manufactured and used asbestos-containing materials were aware of the negative results of asbestos exposure. However, most shipyards failed to inform their personnel about the dangerous consequences of inhaling or ingesting the mineral. Employees that worked in hazardous conditions were rarely provided with safety equipment.
Astoria Voyage Repair Station, along with many other shipyards, dry docks and repair stations operating between the 1930s and early 1980s, used asbestos in their daily operations. Favored primarily for insulation and fireproofing purposes, asbestos was a prevalent threat to the shipyard's workers. Its affordability and adaptability made it seem like a perfect industrial material until the medical community began associating the mineral with serious health complications.
Asbestos was commonly found in many products at the Astoria Voyage Repair Station, including:
- Cement
- Pipe coverings
- Turbines
- Pumps
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Boilers
Many activities conducted at Astoria Voyage Repair Station involved direct and indirect exposure to asbestos. The installation of new products that contained the fibers was a major risk, but even after asbestos-containing products were no longer used, conducting repairs on older equipment could release asbestos fibers into the air. During construction work, Astoria's employees may have cause large quantities of asbestos fibers to become airborne. Anyone in the area would have been at risk of experiencing exposure.
Pleural mesothelioma is one health condition caused from being exposed to asbestos. Former workers of Astoria Voyage Repair Station may be at risk of developing this rare cancer. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Those at risk of developing mesothelioma should pay special attention to these symptoms if they arise. In some cases, symptoms can take as long as 50 years to arise from the time someone was initially exposed to asbestos.
Resources for Shipyard Workers
If you worked for Astoria Voyage Repair Station you may have been exposed to asbestos. A doctor who is familiar with the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases should conduct regular medical checkups. Research has proven that early detection is important to improving prognosis and widen treatment options.
Veterans who were once stationed on ships that were built at Astoria's Oregon shipyard were also at risk of being exposed to asbestos during their service. The ships were rarely adequately ventilated and asbestos fibers often lingered in the air for extended periods of time. As a result, many veterans have since developed asbestos-related illnesses. If you would like to learn more about mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases, click here to receive a free packet in the mail.
-
05/24/2012 -
One of the biggest asbestos-abatement jobs ever done in Buffalo, New York, is being handled now by a local company with a history of asbestos-related ..
-
05/23/2012 -
A new class of anti-cancer drugs is nearing the clinical trial phase and may eventually be available for treatment of aggressive diseases like pancrea ..
-
05/23/2012 -
School districts all across America have been wrestling in recent years with the task of removing and disposing of toxic asbestos from older buildings ..
© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
