There are many railroad workers with cancer that may have developed their diagnoses from on-the-job exposure, according to recent studies. Cancers that have been linked to railroad work include bladder cancer, lung cancer, bone cancer, kidney cancer, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia.

Some railroad workers with cancer may have developed their condition from on-the-job exposure to different dangerous chemicals, such as benzene. Even though benzene has been banned form consumer products in the United States for over 20 years, railroad workers with cancer may have developed their condition from exposure several years prior.

Other railroad workers with cancer may have also developed their condition from on-the-job exposure to dangerous carcinogens such as welding fumes and asbestos.

Unfortunately, railroad workers with cancer may not even know they have it because cancers often go undiagnosed early on. This makes it much more difficult to treat, and it further allows for more complications to develop and can even lead to death.

Railroad Workers with Cancer

Although it was believed that benzene, a highly toxic chemical that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, could cause lung cancer, there are other types of cancers linked to the hazardous chemical.

Some of the following types of cancers linked to benzene exposure include:

• Multiple Myeloma
• Rectal Cancer
• Leukemia
• Throat Cancer
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Kidney Cancer
• Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Esophageal Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Other Cancer

PubChem, a component of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, defines benzene as a “clear, colorless, highly flammable and volatile, liquid aromatic hydrocarbon with a gasoline-like odor.” It is found as a by-product of oil refining process and can also be found in crude oils.

Studies have also consistently linked cancer in railroad workers to asbestos exposure. In a study, published in PubMed, titled Asbestos-related Disease in Railroad Workers. A Cross-Sectional Study, they discovered that from asbestos-exposure individuals have an increased risk for developing malignant mesothelioma.

Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA)

The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) was enacted by Congress in 1908 to help safeguard and protect railroad workers from being exposed to carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals, and from being injured in their line of work. Through the FELA there is established and continued legal recovery for railroad workers who may have suffered from serious injuries or have developed cancer from exposure to hazardous substances.

Railroad workers are provided protected rights and legal recourse through the FELA. If a railroad company fails to provide a safe working environment for its employees, it is in violation of the FELA.

Railroad companies may be deemed negligent and may be found to be in FELA violations if they are found to have: 1) failed to provide a safe working environment; 2) failed to provide safe equipment and tools; 3) failed to sufficiently train railroad workers and other employees; and 4) failed to perform mandatory maintenance and inspection protocol procedures.

Lawsuits filed through the FELA allow railroad workers to seek financial compensation for their injuries and these lawsuits do not need out-of-pocket costs paid on the part of the railroad worker.