Railroad Settlements and Asbestos
In 1862, Congress passed The Pacific Railroad Act. This act helped fund two transcontinental railway companies by granting large grants for rights of way. Railroad workers who develop cancer as a result of workplace exposures can sue their employers under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA).
A jury in Illinois awarded $7.5 million to a former Union Pacific Trackman who died from acute myeloid leukemia. He blamed his blood cancer on extensive workplace exposures to creosote and benzene, which were used to protect and waterproof railroad ties made of wooden.
Creosote
Coal tar - a wood preserver, can be used to protect railroad tie from the sun, heat and cold, rain, and snow. Workers are exposed to harmful solvents and chemicals, such as benzene, in the process of applying of coal creosote. Benzene, a known carcinogen is a known carcinogen that can cause leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well being associated with other serious issues like convulsions, heartbeat changes, liver damage, anemia and cancers of the lung and body.
Our lawyers have successfully defended numerous lawsuits against the Union Pacific Railroad involving coal-tar creosote exposure. One of these cases culminated with the settlement of a $7.500,000 verdict. The plaintiff was a track department worker who developed acute myeloidleukemia as a result of exposure to the chemical compound that is toxic during his work for 31 years. railroad injury settlement amounts found that the railroad failed to provide any personal protective equipment, and frequently exposed him to a diverse range of toxic chemicals including coal-tar creosote and coal tar distillates, carbolineum and naphtha and other cleaning solvents.
Another claim was about the use of copper naphthenate as an alternative to coal tar creosote. Although copper naphthenate may be less hazardous to the environment than creosote it can nevertheless be extremely hazardous. Copper naphthenate may cause skin, lung and nerve damage to the skin and nerves. It also pollutes groundwater and soil with benzene.
Benzene
A colorless liquid petroleum hydrocarbon benzene is used in the production of resins, plastics, nylon and synthetic fibers. It can also be found in diesel fuels and exhaust. Most railroad workers are exposed to diesel fumes on a daily basis. Benzene is a known carcinogen is linked to leukemia and the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
There is no limit to the amount of exposure to benzene. It can be breathed in or absorption through the surface the skin. Long-term exposure to it can damage the blood and cause many different health issues, such as anemia, irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems. Benzene has also been linked to certain types of cancers which include lung and breast cancer.
Benzene can be ingested orally but it is the most hazardous when inhaled. Inhaling benzene can cause dizziness, headaches nose bleedings, and loss of consciousness. The benzene compound can also impair the immune system, which may result in infections.
Recent reports have highlighted the high levels of benzene in the vicinity of two Chicago train station. Commuters and railroad workers were exposed to these pollutant levels, which caused schools to shut down classes and cities to request residents to take shelter in their homes. Railroad workers, for instance car department employees as well as locomotive mechanics, electricians and pipefitters, use products containing benzene, such as Safety-Kleen part washers and CRC Brakleen and paints, thinners, and other products. It is also found in printing solvents.
Asbestos
At first asbestos was employed in the railroad industry. Asbestos consists of six silicate minerals that are naturally occurring with fibrous structure. They were once used in construction because they had the ability to withstand corrosion, fire retardant and insulate characteristics. Inhaling these particles can cause serious health issues such as lung cancer or asbestosis. The symptoms of these illnesses may take between 15 and 30 years before they show up.
The EPA has banned asbestos mining and processing in the US, but it still appears in a wide range of products. This includes certain kinds of floor felt, paper and fake fire embers. When these materials are exposed to heat or water, they can release asbestos fibers. These fibers may also get into the air when buildings are destroyed or when homes are renovated.
A recent study has discovered that exposure to benzene for just five years significantly increases the risk of developing acute myeloid tumor (AML). If you're suffering from symptoms like night sweats, unprovoked loss of weight and suppression or loss of appetite, consult your physician immediately. They can do a blood test to detect AML.
The EPA recently settled a case with Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (GWRSI). GWRSI utilizes locomotives that operate on diesel fuel and emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This EPA settlement requires GWRSI to replace any of its current locomotives with new ones that comply with EPA emission standards.
Diesel Exhaust
As long as diesel fuel is used to power railroads, freight trains will remain exposed to exhaust. Diesel exhaust is a toxic mix of chemicals, including carcinogens like benzene as well as carbon monoxide. It also contains nitrogen oxides particulate matter, polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel exhaust as a Group 1 carcinogen. Diesel exhaust may also cause respiratory ailments like chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or bronchiectasis. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2006 related the employment of railroad workers to COPD rates.
When railroad cars and locomotives are running and idling, they emit diesel exhaust. The machinery and engines that idle emit gases in addition to the diesel fumes, including nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.
The odor of diesel exhaust is typically evident in the cabs of locomotives, where engineers and conductors sit for up to six hours at a time. When employees enter or exit the cabins, the engine and equipment emit more exhaust fumes from diesel engines that pose a risk for railway cancer and pulmonary problems.
Furthermore, railroad mechanics are heavily exposed to diesel exhausts in poorly ventilated roundhouses and shops. They work with locomotives and track equipment in closed spaces that frequently produce harmful inhalants, including asbestos-insulated steam boilers and steam pipes and silica sand.