Asbestos In Shipyards

Bollinger Shipyards - Possible Mesothelioma Root

Bollinger Shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana started out operations as a family going concern in the concluding years of the Second World War. Originally planned to be a ship repair facility, Bollinger Shipyard went on to actual construction and conversion of U.S. Navy ships as it grew in operations and expanded. At its heyday, Bollinger operates several shipyards in South Louisiana.

Shipbuilding started on small and medium marine and offshore vessels. As the shipyard expanded its capacity and deck spaces, production of vessels, including over 60 military and civil defense patrol boats increased. The shipyard was commissioned by the United States Army for the construction of the barge Derrick, a barge with a 115-ton cargo capacity for lifting. Bollinger also went on to build tankers and supply vessels with varying capacities for accommodating fuel or liquid cargo, even gaseous cargo. As a successful concern, Bollinger naturally opened affiliates and related concerns including the Bollinger Electric, Bollinger Fourchon, Bollinger Marine Fabricators, Bollinger Repair, Bollinger Morgan City, Bollinger Larose, and Bolinger Algiers, the last three being named after the affiliate's location.

Working at Bollinger had its risks, too.

Aside from the regular hazards of any manufacturing or industrial concern, the shipbuilding industry has peculiar hazards that commonly afflict its workers. With shipbuilders recognizing the necessity for ships to be rust-proof and fire-proof, not to mention military ships needing to be even sound-proof or as silent in the seas as possible, the use of asbestos as a natural fire- and sound-retardant is a given. Asbestos is a natural when it comes to fire-proofing, rust-proofing, insulating, sound-proofing, layering and coating, even sealing and filtering. A ship is awash with asbestos, from floor to wall tiles, to acoustic ceilings, to boiler room coatings, to gaskets and pumps, and a hundred and one other uses for asbestos.

And a shipyard worker exposed day in and day out to that kind of asbestos-laden work environment is in for a few surprises.

What are those surprises?

Asbestos is not entirely safe as recent studies of workers exposed to asbestos revealed. It is closely linked to mesothelioma which is technically a tumor, a tumor that attacks mesothelium cells that disable the body's ability to produce the natural protection and lubrication of mesothelial tissues. The latter are found in the cardiac, abdominal, and chest cavities. That thin layer of tissues is invaded by malignant mesothelia as an ultimate effect of continuous and prolonged asbestos exposure.

The risks inherent to mesothelioma and asbestos plus the debilitating if not fatal results should make you think twice whether you worked at Bollinger, or any other shipyard, or any other industrial facility where you have been exposed to asbestos.

So if you have been exposed?

If you used to work or are still working at Bollinger Shipyards, and if you have the slightest suspicion that you have respiratory or other difficulties that you can associate with mesothelioma, remember a few things. Check out a mesothelioma lawyer or legal organization or self-help groups or associations for more information on asbestos and mesothelioma. Get info also on the jobsites that have been confirmed to be hot grounds for asbestos and mesothelioma. Then get disciplined advice from your lawyer on how you can go about bringing complaints or lawsuits if ever you have been adversely affected by asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.

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