Seattle - Asbestos & Mesothelioma Resources

In March 2000, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries fined the city of Seattle and two contractors for failing to properly protect workers from asbestos exposure who were upgrading utilities at the former Sandpoint Naval Air Station site at Lake Washington. The city was cited for failing to properly train workers in asbestos removal techniques, while the two contractors (Mid Mountain of Kirkland and Entranco of Seattle) were cited for serious and willful violations during the removal of asbestos-wrapped pipes.

This incident highlights the dangers of asbestos exposure which still exist for workers in the construction industry. Seattle, the nation's twenty-fourth largest city with a population of 594,210, has numerous public buildings and private residences which still contain asbestos. Asbestos was heavily used in construction from the 1930s to the early 1980s, and is still used in construction products made today. During asbestos removal, asbestos fibers can fly through the air creating dangerous breathing conditions for unprotected workers.

While asbestos removal poses a grave hazard for unprotected workers, people who worked in shipyards and other industries prior to the 1980s are most at risk for asbestos-related illnesses, including the rare cancer mesothelioma. Asbestos-related illness may not surface for two decades or more after exposure occurs. Because of its wonderful location on the Pacific coast, Seattle has long been a center for shipbuilding and numerous U.S. Navy ships were manufactured in the Seattle area during World War II.

Statistical Data

According data compiled by the Environmental Working Group using statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, Seattle has the fourth highest asbestos-related death rate in the nation.

** The government did not begin tracking mesothelioma separately as a cause of death until 1998. When they did, the mortality rate nationwide for deaths from mesothelioma more than doubled. The lower number in each range represents an estimated mortality rate based on asbestos cancers that were thought to be mesothelioma. The higher range reflects the mesothelioma rate if one assumes that the incidence during the earlier years was actually twice that reflected by government statistics.

Historical Asbestos Exposure Sites

Shipyards

Historically, shipyards have been one the most dangerous jobsites for asbestos exposure. Asbestos was widely used in the construction of ships because it was valued for its insulating and fireproofing properties.

• Lockheed Shipyard (Puget Sound Bridge Yards) - Established in 1898 as Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company, the company became known as the Puget Sound Bridge Yards. Lockheed corporation bought the company in 1959 and it was renamed the Lockheed Shipyard. The shipyard operated for more than 80 years. It was permanently closed in 1987. Since then, former employees have brought numerous lawsuits over exposure to asbestos and other toxins against the company.
• Marco Shipyard - Established in 1953, Marco is one of the world's premier ship builders. The company no longer uses asbestos in the construction of any of its vessels. However, employees who worked during the years that asbestos was in use do have cause for concern.
• Todds Pacific Shipyard - Established in 1916 by the merging of three separate corporations, Todds Pacific Shipyard was a leading Seattle producer of Navy ships during World War II. Although the federal government issued some guidelines in 1943 to protect asbestos workers, these protective measures were not enforced until the 1970s. Numerous shipyard workers at Todds were exposed to asbestos and other toxins prior to this enforcement.

Existing Asbestos Exposure Sites

Many existing Seattle workplaces contain some risk of exposure to asbestos. Shipyards remain a place of concern, as asbestos was extensively used in older ships and workers repairing older vessels may still be exposed to asbestos.

• Duwash Shipyard - The Duwash Shipyard currently repairs around 60 ships per year. Workers directly involved in ship repair (such as welders, plumbers, ship fitters, electricians, and insulators) are more likely to be exposed to asbestos, than other workers at the site.
• Lake Union Dry Dock - Established in 1916, Lake Union Dry Dock continues to repair older ships, particularly Russian vessels. Such repair operations can expose workers to asbestos materials, which are prevalent on older ships.

Buildings and Other Sites

• 111 Building
• 1414 Building
• AJ Zinda Co.
• Alaska Pipeline
• Alhadeaf Residence
• Arco Seattle
• Allied Mech.
• Assoc. Shipbuilders
• Ballard Hospital
• Bank of California
• Bell Telephone Seattle
• Bethlehem Steel
• Boeing Office Building-Tukwila
• Boeing Plant
• Boeing Plant #2
• BonMarche
• Botting Plumbing & Heating
• Cabrini Hospital
• Chemical Proof Building
• Chevrolet Building
• Coleman Building
• Coliseum Theater
• Columbia Center
• Continental Can Co.
• Convention Center
• Duwamish Shipyard
• Foss Maritime Shipyard
• Frederick & Nelson
• GMC Building
• Gordon Brown
• Grand Cooley Dam
• Home Oil Company
• IBM Building
• Kaiser Shipyard
• Lockheed Shipyard
• Marco Shipyard
• Monsanto Chemical
• Northern Life Building
• Northwest Glass
• Norton Building
• O'Malley & Tuffey
• One Union Center
• Opera House
• PACCAR Inc. Shipyard
• Pacific Bell Building
• Pacific Northwest Bell
• Peoples Bank
• PI Newspaper
• Pier 9
• Pike Place Market
• Play House Theater
• Port Angeles Paper Mill
• Providence Hospital
• Puget Sound Shipyard
• Puget South Bridge & Dry Dock
• Queen Ann Schools
• Refrigerator Engineering Co.
• Rescom Corporation
• Roosevelt HS
• Sea Airport
• Sea First Bank
• Sears Center
• Sea-Tac Airport
• Seattle Box Factory
• Seattle Center
• Seattle City Light
• Seattle Coliseum
• Seattle General Hosp
• Seattle Public Schools
• Seattle Steam
• Seattle Steel
• Seattle Times Building
• Seattle Trust
• Shell Oil
• Shell Plant
• Shell Steam
• Space Needle
• St Elizabeth Hospital
• St Vincent Nursing Home
• Steve Pinto & Sons
• Swedish Hospital
• Tacoma Shipyard
• Texaco Refinery
• Todd Dry Docks
• Todd Shipyard
• US Oil & Refinery

Asbestos in the News

Washington State residents have won numerous lawsuits concerning asbestos exposure. In 2006, the courts ruled that Owens Corning Corporation, which produced asbestos insulation for decades, pay $5.2 billion in compensation to asbestos workers and their families. Two thousand of the plaintiffs in the suit are Washington residents.

Legal Issues

Seattle residents have won numerous lawsuits regarding asbestos exposure. Many lawyers in the Seattle area specialize in asbestos claims. If you believe you have been made ill by exposure to asbestos, it is best to consult with a qualified mesothelioma lawyer. Mesothelioma lawyers are familiar with the health ramifications of asbestos exposure and the regulations pertaining to hazardous materials and are the most capable of obtaining the compensation you deserve.

Treatment Centers

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
825 Eastlake Ave. E. P.O. Box 19023
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 288-SCCA (7222)

Swedish Cancer Institute/ First Hill
1221 Madison St.br /> Seattle, WA 98104
Medical Oncology, (206) 386-2323
Radiation Oncology, (206) 386-2323

University of Washington Medical Center
NN 106 P.O. Box 356043
1959 N.E. Pacific Street
Seattle, WA 98195
Cancer Center (206) 598-4100 Mesothelioma Treatment Section (206) 543-3093