Railroad workers and cancer has become a big concern to the working population and medical community, as reports of serious cancer cases keep increasing. Retired or current railroad workers may be at risk for serious forms of cancer due to the serious contaminants allegedly found on railroad yards.

Specialized lawyers are warning the public that the link between railroad workers and cancer may be a serious issue, as benzene and asbestos have both been found in railroad yards. Benzene is a well known carcinogen, a chemical known for causing cancer, while asbestos has become infamous for inducing permanent lung damage.

While asbestos can dangerous if inhaled or swallowed, benzene can also be absorbed through the skin. Asbestos is a fibrous material that had been popularly used for construction and insulation before the 1980s, while benzene is often created as a by product of burning diesel fuel.

It has been recently discovered that railroad workers may have been exposed to benzene and asbestos for years, sometimes without any knowledge of being exposed to dangerous materials. Both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services have labeled benzene as a carcinogen, which have been linked to a number of serious diseases including:

• Bladder cancer
• Bone cancer
• Colon cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Skin cancer

Overview of Cancer and Railroad Yards

Railroad workers can be exposed to both asbestos and benzene in a number of ways in their occupation. Particularly, any locomotive parts manufactured before the 1980s and are used today may be the most risky.

Asbestos is not considered dangerous as long as it’s left undisturbed. But if it’s physically disturbed, asbestos fibers can be released into the air, where they can be inhaled or swallowed. There are already a number of high risk occupations listed in association with the likelihood of asbestos exposure, with railroad workers included.

Typically railroad workers can be exposed to asbestos through the train’s insulation system, which can include: boilers, the engine, electrical panels and other places. Any place like the cement ties, gaskets, and even plaster can potentially contain asbestos fibers.

Furthermore, the brakes and even floor tiles of the passenger cars could be possible asbestos areas. Along with the dangers of asbestos, benzene exposure has also proven to be a prominent risk due to the constant diesel exhaust.

According to a recent study consisting of 55,000 railroad workers between 1959 to 1996, the risk of lung cancer as 40% than train operators. Even though these are very dangerous chemicals, a number of railroad companies allegedly failed to address the risks for railroad workers and cancer.

FELA Claims for Railroad Workers

A number of railroad workers who allegedly developed cancer have filed Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) lawsuits. FELA was passed in 1908 by lawmakers, who acknowledged that were a number of risks in the locomotive industry. Today, the known link between railroad workers and cancer can create grounds for a FELA lawsuit. Potential claimants may benefit from speaking with a knowledgeable FELA attorney.