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Railroad Settlements and Asbestos

In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act which helped fund two transcontinental railroad companies by giving large grants of land for rights-of-way. Railroad workers who contract cancer because of exposure to work-related hazards can 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. The man blamed his blood cancer on massive workplace exposures to creosote and benzene. These chemicals were used to preserve and waterproof railroad ties made of wooden.

Creosote

Coal tar creosote can be described as a wood preservative that is used to shield railroad settlement aplastic anemia ties from the sun, heat, cold rain and snow. In the process of applying coal tar creosote, workers are exposed to a wide range of toxic chemicals and solvents, including benzene. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen causes leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well in other serious side effects such as convulsions, heartbeat changes, liver damage, anemia and cancers of the lung and body.

Our lawyers have successfully prosecuted multiple lawsuits against Union Pacific Railroad for exposure to coal-tar creosote. One of these cases ended with an $7.500,000 verdict. The plaintiff, a track department worker, developed acute myeloid cancer due to exposure harmful chemical compounds on the job for 31 years. The jury concluded that the railroad did not provide any personal protective gear and exposed him to a wide range of toxic chemicals including coal-tar-tar creosote, as well as coal distillates.

Another claim was the use of copper naphthalenate as a replacement for coal tar creosote. Copper naphthenate is less harmful to the environmental than creosote can still be very dangerous. Copper naphthenate is known to cause skin, lung and nerve damage. It also contaminates the soil and groundwater with benzene.

Benzene

A colorless liquid petroleum hydrocarbon, benzene is used in the production of resins, plastics nylon, synthetic fibers and other. It is also used in diesel fuels and exhaust. Virtually all railroad workers are exposed to diesel fumes regularly on a basis. Benzene is a known carcinogen, has been linked with leukemia and the myelodysplastic disorder (MDS).

There is no limit of exposure to benzene. It is taken in through the skin and inhaled. Long-term exposure to the benzene compound can cause blood loss, which can lead to irregular periods, anemia and fertility issues. It has also been linked to certain types of cancers such as lung and breast cancer.

Inhaling benzene can be the most dangerous. Inhaling benzene may cause headaches, dizziness or nosebleeds. The benzene fumes can also affect the immune system and cause infections.

A recent report highlighted the elevated levels of benzene in the air near two Chicago train stations. Commuters, railroad workers and city residents were exposed to the high levels of pollution. Schools were closed for classes and cities asked residents to shelter in place. Railroad workers, which includes car department employees, locomotive machinists, pipefitters and electricians regularly use benzene-containing products like Safety-Kleen parts washers and Brakleen as well as thinners and paints. It is also found in printing solvents.

Asbestos

In the beginning, asbestos was used in the railroad industry. Asbestos is a class of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that were widely used in construction due to their fire-retardant resistant, fire-retardant, corrosion resistant and insulate properties. Inhaling these tiny fibers can cause serious health problems such as lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. These conditions can take up to 30 years before symptoms are evident.

The EPA has banned asbestos mining and processing in the United States, but it still appears in a variety of products. This includes certain kinds of flooring felt, paper and fake fireplace embers. When these materials are exposed either to water or heat, they can release asbestos fibers. The fibers can also be released into the air when buildings are demolished 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 lymphoma (AML). If you are suffering from symptoms such as night sweats, unexplained weight loss, or a decrease in appetite or loss of appetite, consult your physician immediately. They can perform an analysis of your blood to determine AML.

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

Diesel Exhaust

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

In reality the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel exhaust as a class 1 carcinogen. Diesel exhaust can also trigger respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or bronchiectasis. A report published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2006 related the employment of railroad settlement interstitial lung disease workers to COPD rates.

When railroad settlement all cars and locomotives are in motion and idle, they emit diesel exhaust. When engines are running, they release gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxidants as well as diesel fumes.

The smell of diesel exhaust is often inescapable inside locomotive cabs, in which conductors and engineers can sit for up to six hours at the same time. When workers enter and exit the cabs, the engine as well as equipment produce more diesel exhaust fumes that pose a risk for railway cancer and railroad settlement black lung disease pulmonary problems.

Moreover Railroad settlement black lung disease mechanics are also exposed to diesel exhaust in poorly ventilated roundhouses and shops. They work in enclosed spaces with locomotives, track equipment and asbestos-insulated steam boilers.