Railroad Workers Are At Risk For Mesothelioma

Railroad employees exposed to asbestos, diesel exhaust and other hazards are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma. Railroad companies knew of the dangers years ago, but failed to warn or protect employees. This negligence is what makes them liable under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).

Asbestos victims can be compensated in a significant amount. A FELA lawyer who is experienced can help you file an action.

Diesel Exhaust

A recent study showed that diesel exhaust has more than a dozen recognized carcinogens. These chemicals can enter the bloodstream and cause lung damage. Industrial hygienists have detailed in a number of FELA railroad worker lawsuits that they have handled, that this type of exposure can trigger a variety of health issues. This includes mesothelioma, lung cancer, and various respiratory diseases.

In the 1980s the railroad industry was well aware that diesel fumes could cause harm to employees' health. However the majority of railroads did nothing to protect their workers despite this information. The result was that conductors, locomotive engineers of trains and other railroad workers breathed in toxic fumes for years.

These toxins can also contain lead. Lead is particularly dangerous since it can penetrate the bloodstream and cause damage to organs. It may also cause genetic mutations that could cause a variety cancers. The railroad employees who are most exposed to diesel exhaust are firefighters, locomotive engineers conductors, brakemen, and locomotive engineers. In addition there were railroads that employed asbestos in their locomotives and other railroad equipment.

This hazard is especially dangerous for steam-powered locomotives. Asbestos was used to insulate steam locomotive boilers, and to cover the exteriors of locomotives. Also, steam engines were loaded with coal and other materials that could have caused explosion. In addition, steam locomotives often stopped at stations and fill up with coal and other potentially explosive materials.

Asbestos

Through the entire history of the railroad industry asbestos was used extensively due to its heat-resistant and durable qualities. Workers who work with asbestos are more prone of developing mesothelioma or other cancers, including lung carcinoma.

Asbestos was utilized as an insulator in train locomotives railcars, railway tracks and other pieces of equipment. During maintenance and repairs on these kinds of locomotives workers were exposed to the dangerous asbestos. In addition the repair shops on railroads had inadequate ventilation systems, which increased the danger of asbestos fibers exposure.

Asbestos fibers railroad workers consumed or inhaled could get lodged in the mesothelial tissue, creating inflammation and scarring. The scarring could lead to the growth of mesothelioma cancers. It takes on average 20 to 50 years for asbestos fibers in the body to transform normal mesothelial cells to mesothelioma-related cancer cells.

It is vital for a person diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition to speak with a mesothelioma lawyer firm right away. A mesothelioma lawyer who has experience can help you claim compensation under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). The lawyer can also determine whether an individual is eligible to file an action against norfolk southern railway reactive airway disease norfolk southern railway throat cancer or Norfolk Southern railway multiple myeloma other defendants who are responsible for mesothelioma. The lawyer must be familiar of the complexities involved in FELA cases.

Welding Fumes

The fumes from welding are a mix of gases and particles which can form when metals are joined. The fumes can cause nerve damage, lung cancer and other health problems. The fumes could contain nickel, hexavalentchrome, and manganese, based on the welding type. These substances can cause occupational asthma and can increase the risk of developing a Parkinson's-like condition.

The main reason why welding fumes can be dangerous is due to the fact that the particles that compose the plume are able to easily enter the lungs. The cilia that form your respiratory tract are more difficult to clear them. The exposure to welding fumes may cause irritation to eyes and the skin.

Workers who have been exposed to welding fumes are likely to suffer from a variety of long-term health issues, including lung cancer, as well as neurologic diseases such as Parkinson's disease. They can also develop a condition referred to as "metal fume fever" that is characterized by symptoms like chills, thirst, fatigue muscle aches, and a metallic taste in the mouth and throat.

In 2015 an norfolk Southern railway multiple Myeloma norfolk southern railway acute myeloid leukemia employee from Chesapeake was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He'd been working for the railroad for more than 40 years as a brakeman, conductor, Norfolk Southern Railway Multiple Myeloma freight car brakeman and barnyard foreman. He worked in the yard and roundhouse shops of the railway in Roanoke. In his lawsuit, he claims that the work he did was constantly exposed to asbestos and cancer-causing substances when working for railroads.

Smoking

Railroad workers and residents of communities near railway lines are at risk for lung cancer due to diesel fume exposure. The chemical compounds from coal trains pose risky for railroad workers as well as first responders. Derailments are typically caused by a combination of an old rail system and known weaknesses in tanker cars transporting oil, or other potentially hazardous materials.

Asbestos was utilized in the construction of steam locomotives as well as many other railroad equipment. Many workers were exposed to asbestos. Even a small amount of asbestos can cause serious health issues for railroad workers and their families.

A railroad worker with an exposure history to asbestos is more at risk for mesothelioma than a non-exposed coworker. Asbestos-related cancers have a long time of latency, which means they can take 20-40 years to develop after the initial exposure. For this reason, asbestos victims need to see an experienced attorney for railroad mesothelioma as soon as possible.

A widow filed a lawsuit against norfolk southern railway reactive airway disease norfolk southern railway aml and 22 additional defendants, claiming that her husband's passing caused lung cancer due to asbestos exposure in the workplace in the railroad and elsewhere. She presented "lay evidence" in the form of statements from her co-workers from her husband's workplace. The judge was able to exclude this testimony because it was speculation. This was in addition to excluding a majority of the expert testimony the attorney for the plaintiff offered.