Survey Reveals Americans Concerned About Toxic Chemicals Like Asbestos; Rail Workers Should Be Worried | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Over 80 percent of voters are concerned about toxic substances are being used in the U.S. without regulation along with the fact that asbestos was not banned by the FDA under current law, according to Lake Research Partners.

I wonder how railroad workers would respond if they took this survey. My guess is that the percentage of rail employees concerned about being exposed to hazardous substances like asbestos would be over 90 percent.

The body of evidence and medical studies pointing to a correlation between occupational exposure to chemicals like asbestos for rail workers and eventual development of mesothelioma cancer grows on a daily basis.

Our railroad FELA injury law firm has represented rail workers stricken with cancer after spending their career working for rail companies like CSX, Conrail, and Norfolk Southern. It makes sense considering rail workers breathe in diesel exhaust fumes and other potentially poisonous chemicals as engineers, conductors, and working many other jobs for a railroad.  Mesothelioma and asbestos induceddiseases/cancers are probably the worst occupational induced dlsease processes facing railroad workers–even invisible amounts of asbestos dust in the air can and do cause mestothelioma cancers decades following the exposures.  What a deadly toxic substance!

If you’re curious about what mesothelioma is exactly, check out this video explaining the horrors of this terrible form of cancer.

Congress is considering a revamp of the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 in an effort to regulate and properly monitor toxic chemicals, including asbestos, which is known to cause the deadly cancer, mesothelioma. But given the snail’s pace in which Congress operates, it could be a while before any action is taken.

Despite the probable delay in legislative action, it’s encouraging to see a spotlight placed on this troubling issue. Too many people, especially rail workers, are having their lives ruined by asbestos exposure and eventual diagnosis of mesothelioma