Williams Kherkher - Mesothelioma Laywer

Dangerous Shipyards: Todd Shipyards

Todd Shipyard got its start as a small steel business based out of Brooklyn and in the early 1900s they began to grow into one of the largest shipyard franchises in the world. This widespread recognition made Todd a powerful name in the shipbuilding industry. In 1916, Todd purchases the Seattle Construction and Drydock Company only to sell it a few years later in favor of reopening another shipyard in Commencement Bay in 1918.

Utilized in WWI, the Todd shipyard at Commencement Bay was closed shortly after the war, however, it was not long until the shipyard was needed again at the beginning of WWII. Thanks to the help of Henry Kaiser and a 15 million dollar grant from the U.S. Maritime Commission, the shipyard quickly became one of the largest production shipyards to be used in WWII.

Close to 30,000 people were employed at the Tacoma shipyard. During times of war, it was these people that worked hard to support their country through their labor. Although the job was physically demanding and dangerous, these employees pushed through their hardships to produce well-made vessels to be used by our military forces. Sadly, it is these men and women that suffer the affects of their environment. Many of the employees of the Todd shipyard in Tacoma were exposed to dangerous toxins and other substances, asbestos being the common example.

Before 1975, Asbestos was widely used throughout the shipbuilding industry. Working as insulation, asbestos became an important component in the construction of a ship. It was also used as covering for electrical fixtures, piping, and other ship components. If you were a shipyard employee who worked with asbestos before 1975, or worked on older ships after 1975, you run the risk of having worked with asbestos. This material is very dangerous and can cause serious respiratory problems as well as forms of cancer, such as mesothelioma.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos as a result of your job and now suffer from mesothelioma, contact the mesothelioma lawyers of Williams Kherkher today. Call 866-950-9000 for more information on your legal rights.