Is Railroad Settlement Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia The Best There Ever Was

Railroad Settlements and Asbestos

In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act which financed two transcontinental railroad companies by granting large grants of lands for rights-of-way. Railroad settlement emphysema workers who contract cancer because of exposure to their workplaces are able to sue their employers under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA).

An Illinois jury has handed down an $7.5 million verdict to a former Union Pacific trackman dying from acute myeloid leukemia. He blamed his blood-cancer on exposure to creosote, the chemical benzene, and other chemicals used to protect wooden railroad ties.

Creosote

Coal tar is an organic wood preservative used to protect railroad ties from the sun, cold, heat rain and snow. Workers are exposed to harmful solvents and chemicals, such as benzene in the application of coal creosote. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen is a known carcinogen that can cause leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, as in other serious side effects such as convulsions, heartbeat changes, liver damage, anemia, and cancers of the lungs and the body.

Our lawyers have successfully prosecuted several lawsuits against Union Pacific Railroad for exposure to coal-tar creosote. One of these cases led to an award of $7,500,000. The plaintiff was a track department employee was diagnosed with acute myeloid cancer as a result exposure to harmful chemical compounds on working for over 31 years. The jury determined that the railroad did not provide any personal protective gear, and exposed him of toxic chemicals such as coal-tar tar creosote and coal tar distillates.

Another reason for this was the use of copper naphthalenate an alternative to coal tar creosote. Copper naphthenate, while less harmful to the environmental than creosote can still be extremely dangerous. Copper naphthenate has been identified as a carcinogen and can cause skin, nerve and lung damage. It can also contaminate the soil and groundwater with benzene.

Benzene

A colorless, liquid petroleum hydrocarbon, benzene is a component in the manufacturing of resins, plastics, nylon and synthetic fibers. It is also found in diesel fuel and exhaust. Diesel fumes are commonly inhaled by nearly all railroad workers. Benzene is a carcinogen that is well-known is linked to leukemia and the myelodysplastic disorder (MDS).

There is no safe level of exposure to benzene. It can be taken in through the skin and inhaled. Long-term exposure to benzene can cause blood damage, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, anemia, and fertility issues. Benzene is also associated with certain types of cancers like breast and lung cancer.

Inhaling benzene is the most dangerous. Inhaling benzene may cause headaches, dizziness and nosebleeds. The benzene compound can also impair the immune system, which could cause infections.

Recent reports have revealed the high levels of benzene at two Chicago train station. Commuters, railroad workers and city residents were exposed to extreme levels of pollution. Schools halted classes and cities urged residents to take shelter. Railroad workers, railroad settlement emphysema such as car department employees and locomotive mechanics, electricians and pipefitters, use products that contain benzene such as Safety-Kleen part washers CRC Brakleen as well as paints thinners, paints and other items. The chemical is also used in printing solvents.

Asbestos

The asbestos usage in the railway industry began in the early years. Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that were once highly sought-after in construction due to their fire retardant corrosion-resistant, fire-retardant, and insulate properties. Inhaling these fibers could cause serious health problems including lung cancer and asbestosis. These illnesses can last up to 30 years before symptoms appear.

The EPA has been able to ban asbestos mining and processing in the US, but it still appears in many products. This includes some types of paper, flooring felt and fake fireplace embers. When these materials are exposed to heat or water they could release asbestos fibers. These fibers can also be released into air during demolition or renovations.

A recent study has shown that exposure to benzene for only five years significantly increases the risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Consult your physician if you experience symptoms such as night sweats or unexplained weight loss. They can perform a blood test to check for AML.

The EPA recently settled a case against Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (GWRSI). GWRSI employs locomotives that run on diesel fuel and emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This EPA settlement requires that GWRSI replace any of its locomotives with newer models that conform to EPA emission standards.

Diesel Exhaust

As long as diesel fuel continues to be used to power freight trains, railroad workers are exposed exhaust. Diesel exhaust is a poisonous mix of chemicals that includes carcinogens like benzene as well as carbon monoxide. It also contains nitrogen oxides particulate matter, polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified diesel exhaust as Group 1 carcinogen. Furthermore, diesel exhaust is an underlying cause of respiratory disease in the form of bronchiopulmonary illnesses such as chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis. A 2006 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives linked railroad worker's employment with COPD rates.

When railroad cars and locomotives are running and idling, they emit diesel exhaust. The engines that are idling emit gases, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxidants as well as diesel fumes.

Diesel exhaust fumes are usually similar to those in locomotive cabs in which conductors and engineers are seated for at least six hours a day. When people enter or leave the cabs, the engine and equipment emit more exhaust fumes from diesel engines and pose a risk to respiratory cancers and other issues.

In poorly ventilated roundhouses or workshops railroad mechanics have to contend with the risk of being exposed to diesel exhaust. They work with running locomotives and track equipment in enclosed spaces that are often contaminated with inhalants like asbestos-insulated steam pipes and boilers and silica sand.