According to the American Cancer Society, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), has identified benzene, a colorless flammable liquid, as carcinogenic to humans.

This link between benzene and cancer often manifests in the form of blood cancers such as acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), childhood leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In laboratory testing, according to the American Cancer Society, benzene and cancer of the blood have been shown to be related by causing chromosomal changes in the bone marrow where new blood cells are created.

Railroad Work, Exposure to Benzene and Cancer

Occupational exposure to benzene and cancer development have been found among railroad workers. The highly-toxic chemical can be breathed in as well as absorbed through the skin. Benzene is produced and released into the air when diesel fuel is burned, as with diesel locomotives.

In addition to exposures occurring with diesel fuel burning, there are other railroad products that may contain benzene.

According to the American Cancer Society, benzene is often used as a starter material in the making of other chemicals, rubbers, paints, pesticides, and plastics.

In recent years because of its identified dangers, benzene has become highly regulated. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), which regulates workplace safety practices, limits benzene air exposure to one part per million in most work settings. The absolute maximum air exposure allowed is five parts per million in a 15-minute time frame. Anything above these ranges necessitates the use of protective respirators that satisfy OSHA requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates levels of benzene in gasoline products now to a range between .62 to 1.3% by volume. It also limits water concentrations of the chemical in water to five parts per billion.

These are relatively recent controls, however, and railroad work has been around for some time. There are many railroad workers that have had chronic and intense exposure to diesel fumes from locomotives and solvents over the years, sometimes in unventilated environments.

This type of exposure is among the most dangerous with respect to Benzene and cancer development. These workers may be at risk for developing cancer, possibly without realizing their on-the-job exposure could have contributed to their disease.

Railway companies can be liable if a worker was exposed to hazardous chemicals and not provided with proper protective gear under the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA). This act allows railroad employees to seek compensation for illness and injury attributable to an employer’s negligence.

While the linkage between benzene and cancers of the blood is clear, other cancers that have developed among railroad workers have included esophageal, throat, lung, stomach, bladder, and colon cancers.