Duwamish Shipyard, INC.
April 1, 2007, was the last day of work at the Duwamish Shipyard, which had seen almost seven decades (68 years) of storied maritime service. Through the decades, Duwamish Shipyard was one of the largest shipbuilders, on the riverbanks of what had been home to 12 Indian tribes, including the Duwamish Indians. Duwamish Shipyard officially began in 1939, but was formally incorporated in summer 1941.
The Duwamish Shipyard experienced its boom time in the 1970s, growing to more than 400 workers. But as shipbuilding failed, Duwamish Shipyard's primary work of refitting and repairing ships also suffered. Buried in 2007 was the company's graving dock, large enough to accommodate a 900-foot barge. Once nestled into the dock, water was pumped away from a ship or barge, making the craft fully accessible to repairs.
As the company came near to its final day, less than 30 workers remained to put the finishing touches on the shipyard's closure. Since its founding, the Duwamish Shipyard was a family business. Started by Askle Larsen, the final owners and operators were Askle's grandsons, brothers Dave and Carl. Even though no lawsuits have been filed against the shipyard by workers for asbestos-related disease, the yard's primary business of repairing vessels put workers at risk of asbestos exposure.
Duwamish Shipyard and Asbestos
As with every major shipping yard on the West Coast in the 1940s, there were several cases proving shipyard owners were aware of the dangers of asbestos to worker health. As a new shipbuilding company, however, no records show that the Duwamish Shipyard was aware of the risks in the late 1940s.
What is known is that the Duwamish Shipyard specialized in complete overhauls, including hundreds of refits to the barges used widely by government contractors. Until the late 1970s, these craft had virtually no industry safeguards against the asbestos extensively used in their construction. Special concerns arise because refits virtually doubled the opportunity of asbestos exposure, first in removal and, second, in replacement of the asbestos compounds.
Unlike so many other nearby West Seattle industrial sites, however, the volume of labor complaints against Duwamish Shipyards was comparatively light. There have been no lawsuits yet filed against the shipyard for asbestos-related injuries or illnesses. However, one of the vessels restored by Duwamish Shipyard, the historic Lightship No. 83, was known to contain asbestos.
Asbestos on Lightship No. 83
In 1969, one of the artifacts of Northwest U.S. maritime history was chosen for restoration: the famous Lightship No. 83 (originally made at New York State Shipyard). Because of their reputation for quality and their own role in boating history, the Duwamish Shipyard was selected for the project. A 1987 study of No. 83 noted the role of Duwamish Shipyard, including the extensive cleaning performed. And, despite the earlier restoration by Duwamish Shipyard in the late 1960s, the most recent review of No. 83 found that unabated asbestos remains a significant concern.
The most recent review stated that asbestos insulation was used in the engine room for the following purposes:
- Steam piping insulation (20 percent chrysotile)
- Generator exhaust pipe insulation (5 percent chrysotile and 10 percent amosite)
- Steam drum insulation (25 percent amosite)
- Feed water heater insulation (17 percent chrysotile)
In 1989, a federal grant from the Historic Preservation Fund Lighthouse Program helped pay for the identification and encapsulation of asbestos in the engine room steam piping. However, according to the review, the rest of the asbestos remained in a friable and dangerous state. The authors of the review presented a cost estimate of $25,000 and a time estimate of two weeks to remediate the asbestos insulation.
Past Occupational and Safety Issues and Potential Superfund Designation
There have been three federal labor incidents resulting in fines against the Duwamish Shipyard. Even in what may be regarded as the safest shipyards, toxic chemical and asbestos exposure is a concern. In 2010, Washington State's Department of Ecology (DOE) entered into a voluntary legal agreement with Duwamish Shipyard, INC., and Duwamish accepted responsibility for cleaning up their site. Items addressed in the agreement include substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals (copper, mercury, zinc and arsenic).
Many local leaders view a Superfund designation as a significant blow to an area's economy. A coalition of Seattle's business, environmental, and civic leaders have been working cooperatively to provide options to avoid a Superfund designation in the former Duwamish Shipyard. There has also been increasing community pressure to clean up the West Seattle industrial area. Although it has since closed, the Duwamish Shipyard remains an "active" corporation, and could be forced to pay what is seen as its fair share for any cleanup along its portion of the affected six-mile stretch of the Duwamish River.
If you think you experienced asbestos exposure at Duwamish Shipyard you should learn about the warning signs of asbestos-related disease, which can often resemble symptoms of less serious pulmonary disorders. Those already diagnosed with mesothelioma can request an informational packet by filling out the form on this page to learn more about treatment options and top doctors.
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