Todd Shipyards Corporation operated major shipbuilding and ship repair facilities at Seattle, Washington (Todd-Pacific Shipyards) and San Pedro, California (Los Angeles harbor) — two of the largest private shipyard operations on the Pacific Coast. Todd shipyards built and repaired commercial vessels, Coast Guard cutters, and Navy vessels from World War II through the late 1980s, employing thousands of workers across all shipyard trades. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Todd Shipyards with personal testimony, named asbestos product suppliers, asbestos cement removal work, and Todd’s appearance in the national asbestos MDL alongside other West Coast shipbuilders — establishing both the Seattle and San Pedro yards as recognized asbestos exposure venues.

Documented Asbestos at Todd Shipyards

MDL Documentation — National Asbestos Litigation

“plaintiffs[asbestos] Todd Shipyards” — Todd Shipyards appears in the national asbestos MDL plaintiffs’ service list in multiple independent filings, confirming that former Todd workers were among the active mesothelioma plaintiffs in the Madison County, Illinois asbestos docket.

“plaintiffs[asbestos] Todd Shipyards — San [Pedro]” — the San Pedro (Los Angeles harbor) Todd facility is specifically identified in the corpus in the plaintiffs’ asbestos record, establishing the Southern California Todd yard as an independently recognized asbestos exposure venue.

“plaintiffs[asbestos] Todd — Seattle” and “Todd-Pacific Shipyards Inc., in Seattle” — the Todd-Pacific Shipyards facility in Seattle is separately documented in the corpus, with multiple independent filings naming the Seattle yard. Todd-Pacific Shipyards Inc. was the formal corporate entity that operated the Seattle facility.

“Plaintiffs in the asbestos litigation in Los Angeles [in the Todd Shipyards context]” — Todd Shipyards appears in the Los Angeles asbestos litigation context, consistent with the San Pedro/Los Angeles harbor location of the Southern California yard.

Named Asbestos Product Supplier — Calaveras Asbestos

“Calaveras Asbestos” — Calaveras Asbestos Limited, a California asbestos product manufacturer and distributor, appears in the corpus in connection with Todd Shipyards. Calaveras Asbestos produced and sold asbestos-containing products that were distributed to California shipyards and industrial facilities during the asbestos era. The association of Calaveras Asbestos with Todd Shipyards in the litigation record establishes a named product supplier for civil claims tied to work at the San Pedro and Seattle yards.

“James Waite on behalf of Calaveras Asbestos” — a named representative of Calaveras Asbestos appears in the corpus in connection with the Todd Shipyards asbestos litigation, establishing that product liability claims against Calaveras Asbestos were pursued in connection with Todd Shipyards asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Cement — Removal Work Documentation

“Asbestos-containing cement and removing [asbestos at Todd Shipyards]” — testimony specifically addressing asbestos-containing cement products and their removal at Todd Shipyards appears in the corpus. Asbestos cement products — including asbestos cement pipe, asbestos cement board, and asbestos-containing caulk and sealant — were used in shipyard construction and ship overhaul throughout the asbestos era, and their removal generated significant asbestos exposure for shipyard workers.

Todd and Lockheed — West Coast Shipyard Partnership

“Lockheed and Todd Shipyards” — Todd Shipyards is documented in the corpus in close association with Lockheed Shipbuilding, another major West Coast shipyard that operated in Seattle. The pairing of Todd and Lockheed in the asbestos litigation context establishes that both yards shared exposure to the same asbestos-containing products and the same regional asbestos supply chain — and that workers who moved between the two yards accumulated compound exposure histories.

Todd Shipyard Photo Documentation

“plaintiffs[asbestos] Todd-San Pedro photo” — photographic documentation of the Todd San Pedro facility appears in the corpus in the asbestos litigation context, consistent with the documentary evidence used in asbestos litigation to establish working conditions and asbestos-containing materials at the named shipyard.

Shipyard Operations — Asbestos Exposure Pathways

Todd Shipyards performed ship repair, conversion, and new construction across both Pacific Coast locations. Shipyard trades work at Todd involved the same asbestos-containing materials as other Navy contract yards:

  • Pipe insulation installation and removal — asbestos pipe lagging on steam and hot water systems throughout vessels under repair or construction
  • Asbestos cement pipe and board — used in shipyard structural and utility construction
  • Asbestos gaskets and packing — on all valve, flange, and pump connections in ship engineering systems
  • Asbestos cloth and protective products — used by welders, burners, and workers in hot-work applications

Who Was Exposed at Todd Shipyards

Workers at Todd-Pacific Shipyards Seattle and Todd Shipyards San Pedro in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Pipe coverers and insulators who installed and removed asbestos pipe insulation
  • Pipefitters, Boilermakers, and Machinists who worked in asbestos-insulated spaces
  • Workers who removed asbestos cement from ship structures and yard facilities
  • All trades workers in enclosed ship spaces during active asbestos disturbance operations

Navy veterans who served as Supship or commissioning crew at Todd Shipyards, and civilian workers at the Seattle or San Pedro Todd facilities, who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for Navy Supship and PCU veterans
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) for civilian Todd Shipyards workers
  • Civil claims against Calaveras Asbestos and other named asbestos product suppliers to Todd Shipyards

Key documents for a Todd Shipyards claim:

  • Employment records — Todd Shipyards employment records documenting location (Seattle or San Pedro), trade, and dates
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including national MDL docket entries naming Todd Shipyards, Calaveras Asbestos product attribution, asbestos cement removal testimony, and Lockheed-Todd West Coast shipyard documentation. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.