공지사항

Railroad Emphysema

The exposure of Railroad Copd workers to certain substances puts them at greater risk of developing lung diseases, including COPD. Many of these include diesel fumes and coal. Some workers develop respiratory diseases from welding fumes and cigarette smoke.

Emphysema can affect the walls of air sacs in the lung, making it difficult to breathe. It is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD. Other factors include a low level of alpha-1-antitrypsin and serious lung infections.

Coal and Mineral Dusts

Inhaling dust and fumes when working with certain chemicals, coal, grain cotton, wood or even cotton increases your risk of developing emphysema. Smoke from secondhand sources and pollution from the environment such as car exhaust can increase the risk.

Recent studies report that the combustion of fossil fuels is responsible for the majority of deaths linked to the ambient PM2.5. Dust fugitive from coal transport could also be a major contributor. About 70% of coal is delivered by train in the United States. It is believed that fugitive dust from trains contributes roughly 50% of coal-related particulate matter.

Coal dust is a poisonous mixture of metals, including arsenic, mercury, as well as uranium. It is able to leach toxic substances into water and soil. It also can cling to nearby vegetation's leaves decreasing their photosynthesis and depriving them of nutrients. It could even cause plant and wildlife deaths.

Scientists have discovered that if a coal train passes the train, concentrations of fine particles known as PM2.5 are around 90 percent higher than when a freight train travels by. The study was conducted in Richmond, California, a densely populated and racially diverse community with a high rate of asthma and respiratory illness. Coal trains were compared with both fully loaded and empty (unloaded) cars to be able to capture real-world conditions of long-haul coal conveyance. They also looked at the methods of loading coal onto trains, to see the effectiveness of chemical binders in controlling the emission of coal dust.

Silica Dust

Silica is one of the most common minerals found on Earth. It is found in a variety of substances including sand, soil, rock, concrete and masonry. It is a risk when it is inhaled by the worker. The tiny crystal particles can scratch and tear the linings of the nasal passages, sinuses and respiratory passages. This can lead to an illness known as silicosis. The lung condition is incurable and affects the ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen. This disease can also cause chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) or kidney disease. Smoking further reduces the ability of the lungs to clear silica dust.

Workers may be exposed using tools that release dust that is airborne. This can be done by cutting or drilling, as well as grinding. In addition, the mineral can be moved around by trains. A NIOSH study conducted at the CSX's Radnor Yard found that many track department workers were exposed to hazardous levels of silica dust. This was because of the silica sand used to make locomotive brakes which was found in the Railroad Acute Myeloid Leukemia yards and shops.

Protective equipment for personal use that is fitted correctly is the best method to avoid exposure to crystalline silica. Employers must also provide training on how to properly use the equipment. This is especially important for people with facial hair, as the particles can get into the hair's lungs.

Secondhand Smoke

COPD, emphysema, and other lung ailments can be caused by secondhand smoke. Ammonia, formaldehyde, as well as other chemical compounds found in smoke can cause irritation to the nose, eyes, throats and the lungs. They can also trigger or worsen asthma. In addition that, if a woman has been exposed to smoke while pregnant the chemicals could affect the unborn baby and cause a variety of health problems including respiratory infections.

Railroad employees who worked in enclosed cabs of locomotives were frequently exposed to secondhand smoke and diesel exhaust. Even after evidence of the damaging effects of secondhand smoke effects was widely reported, many railroads remained reluctant to enforce smoking bans on trains.

Silica dust is a risk for railway workers, especially those who maintain or operate the rail yard. This fine dust can be breathed in and can cause various respiratory ailments like silicosis, occupational asthma, and chronic bronchitis. It can also be mixed with other substances that can cause lung damage, Railroad Emphysema for example asbestos, coal, and diesel fumes. This can result in toxic smoke that is dangerous to breathe.

Herbicides are utilized to kill undesirable plants and welding fumes containing metallic oxides and silicon dioxide can cause lung damage. These can also cause lung damage and are known to increase the risk of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), which is a genetic disorder that causes a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin, to break down in the lungs.

Exposure to Diesel Exhaust

Diesel exhaust, also known as diesel fumes, or diesel smoke is a toxic chemical mixture that is made up of hundreds of different chemicals. Many of these particles, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, are regarded as carcinogens. Excessive exposure to diesel exhaust over a long period can cause a variety of lung disorders and illnesses such as chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

A recent study of Railroad Throat Cancer workers and their lung health found that exposure to diesel exhaust in the railway environment significantly increases the risk of lung cancer. This is in line with other studies and is based on both direct exposure to diesel emissions and indirect exposure from smoking in the presence of diesel exhaust.

The study covered the vast majority of railroad workers who had worked in positions that exposed them to diesel exhaust from 1959 to 1996. The study indicates that exposure to diesel exhaust is linked to an increased risk of lung cancer, but also with an increase in COPD mortality. This effect was still present after accounting for smoking history and it was proportional to the amount of time working in jobs exposed to diesel. The authors conclude that diesel exposure in the Railroad Interstitial Lung Disease workplace can be a major factor in the high incidence of respiratory illnesses among career railroaders. This is particularly relevant for those who smoke throughout their careers. They are more at risk of debilitating and life-threatening lung conditions such as emphysema, secondhand smoke induced asthma, mesothelioma and lung cancer.