Occupational Diseases: April 2007 Archives

It's Official: Study Links Shoulder, Neck Pain with Chair Design

Garment workers will breathe a sigh of relief when they hear about the recent results published by Spine Magazine's newest study -- which proves that chair design can cause shoulder and neck pain in garment and other industrial workers.

Adjustable chairs reduce shoulder and neck pain in garment workers

The study, which was spearheaded by David Rempel, MD, MPH of the ergonomics program at San Francisco General Hospital and Beate Ritz, MD, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology, at University of California, Los Angeles, examined almost 300 Los Angeles area garment workers.

"Both types of height adjustable chairs significantly decreased neck pain among the garment workers over a four-month period, but the curved seat pan provided more benefit than the flat seat pan chair," Rempel said. "These findings indicate that owners of sewing companies should consider providing an adjustable height chair with a forward sloped seat pan for their employees as a way of reducing pain and loss of trained workers due to impaired health."

Posted by Erin Blakemore at 12:01 AM | Permalink

Ireland's Smoking Ban Cut Pub Toxins

A new study indicates that Ireland's workplace smoking ban has led to 83 percent less air pollution and 80 percent fewer airborne carcinogens. Additionally, better respiratory health has been reported in pub workers. The one-year long study looked at 42 pubs in Dublin and 73 male pub workers who were given lung function tests both before and after the smoking ban was implemented on March 29, 2004. Before the ban, pub workers said they were exposed to secondhand smoke more than 40 hours a week; now they only are exposed to secondhand smoke for about 25 minutes a week.

Ireland's Smoking Ban Cut Pub Toxins Dramatically

If all European countries were to implement similar smoking bans, 5 to 10 million premature deaths from smoking could be prevented over the next generation, predicted Fiona Godfrey, a European Union Policy Adviser at the European Respiratory Society in Brussels. Godfrey added that, "The article ... adds to the evidence from other studies that what smoke-free advocates have said all along is true: Comprehensive smoking bans in bars dramatically reduce the levels of fine-particulate matters, chemicals and gases in the air, and improve bar workers' health."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:24 PM | Permalink

New Mesothelioma Cases Prompt Explanation

Thirty-five new cases of mesothelioma have caused a joint committee of the House of Representatives to call experts to help give them a deeper understanding of the issue. Attempts to understand the array of mining-related diseases have been pending on for the last 25 years and questions still linger today. The Minnesota Department of Health has presented its proposals for two new studies that will address whether exposure to mineral fragments and asbestos-like fibers in taconite dust can cause cancer or if occupational exposure to asbestos is the lone cause of disease.

New Mesothelioma Cases Prompt Expert Explanation

The first proposed study would look at exposure to taconite dust and asbestos dust in 52 cases. The study would require $750,000 or more for each year that it goes on. The second study would use information that already has been collected to determine risks from taconite dust. It would be paid for by existing state sources. Alan Bender, from the Department of Health, says that the funding is necessary: “If we had had the continued funding I think it’s fair to say we would have the answer to the question now.”

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:14 PM | Permalink

Former NFL Players Unhappy with NFL's Treatment of Injured Retirees

Several former NFL football players are questioning why the NFL does not do more to provide health care for its former employees. Mike Ditka, the former coach of the Chicago Bears, spoke about the problem at the Super Bowl. Ditka refused to attend the NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony in protest of the NFL's lax policies.

Former NFL players unhappy with league's treatment of injured retirees

Former Los Angeles Rams guard Denis Harrah said that his former teammate, Gary Dunn, has suffered several medical conditions that were a consequence of his time in the NFL. Dunn likely will also need to have a leg amputated. Dunn has been unable to qualify for disability through the NFL; he has already been turned down 12 times. In addition to his physical ailments, Dunn suffers from Alzheimer's, dementia, and depression; all of these conditions are linked to brain injuries that often are suffered while playing contact sports. "It's such a tragedy that we have to deal with no health insurance," Harrah said. "All we want is a fair share. I come from West Virginia. The coal miners today took care of the coal miners that have black lung. You know what, that's all we're asking for."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:34 PM | Permalink

DuPont Employee Sues For Benzene Related Disease

Representatives for the late Earl Dean Thompson are suing DuPont's Jefferson County chemical plant for having exposed Thompson to benzene. Thompson began working for DuPont in 1948. Jo Ann Thompson, the representative for Thompson's estate, says that during his time working at DuPont, Thompson was exposed to excess amounts of benzene. "As a result of such exposure, Earl Thompson developed multiple myeloma, from which he died a painful and anguishing death on June 15, 2006," the petition sated.

60-Year Employee of DuPont Sues for Benzene Related Disease

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants in the case are guilty of having violated federal and state laws regarding benzene. Jo Ann Thompson seeks to gain an amount in excess of the jurisdictional limits of the district court and has asked for a trial by jury.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 02:10 PM | Permalink

AoC Pulls Workers From Tunnels Over Asbestos Worries

The Architect of the Capitol, AoC, has announced that they will reassign some Capitol Power Plant tunnel workers to other duties after they possibly were exposed to asbestos. Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington, recently requested that the members of the 10-man tunnel crew be removed from the tunnel before they were exposed to more asbestos. The men were showing symptoms of asbestos exposure, including signs of pulmonary and respiratory disease.

Amid Asbestos Concerns, AoC Pulls Workers From Tunnels

Murray approves of the decision to change the workers' duties, but is still unhappy that the AoC did not take action much sooner. “The Architect’s decision to take action is a welcome one, but does little to excuse the many years of negligence that have cost these workers their health,” Murray said in a press release yesterday. “For far too long these workers were exposed to deadly concentrations of asbestos while the Architect’s Office turned its back on their complaints.” Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee Chairwoman, also criticized the AoC: “There is increasing evidence that those employees who have been working in the tunnels may be suffering from asbestosis and other diseases. Worker health and safety must be of the utmost concern to the Architect’s Office. Further delays cannot be tolerated.”

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:07 PM | Permalink

Building Trade Unions Reach Hexavalent Chromium Agreement

The Building and Construction Trades Department, the AFL-CIO, and two labor unions have settled a lawsuit against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to better protect workers from hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is a toxic chemical that is used in portland cement, which is often used in construction. Under the new terms, OSHA will be required to inspect construction sites for safety procedures used to help prevent hexavalent chromium exposure.

Building Trade Unions Reach Agreement With OSHA On Hexavalent Chromium Lawsuit

Under the agreement, OSHA compliance officers will evaluate whether employers who use portland cement are complying with the standards that require that they provide proper washing facilities and supplies, personal protective equipment, information on the hazards of handling dangerous materials, and that they maintain proper injury and illness records. Effects of hexavalent chromium exposure have been well documented. Very small amounts of hexavalent chromium can cause exposed workers to end up with contact dermatitis, a skin disease that is so severe that those who have it often no longer can work with cement. Prolonged exposure can lead to severe caustic burns, require skin grafts, or even limb amputation. "Ultimately, the real winners are the workers because they will have the level of protection on the job that the regulations were meant to secure almost 40 years ago," said Edward C. Sullivan, the president of the
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

Asbestos Suit Names 163 Defendants

Jack England, Clifford Maffett, John Nesselroad Jr., and Ralph Smith have jointly filed an asbestos suit in Kahawha Circuit Court; their lawsuit names 163 defendants. England and Maffett both live in Ohio and both suffer from asbestosis and lung cancer. Nesselroad lives in West Virginia and suffers from asbestosis. Smith lives in West Virginia and has asbestosis and mesothelioma. All of the men worked for Union Local, though at different plants. The suit says that the plaintiffs were exposed to and inhaled asbestos dust while working at various plants in West Virginia.

Asbestos Suit Lists 163 Defendants

The lawsuit alleges that the companies were aware of the risks associated with asbestos exposure but did not adequately warn their employees. The plaintiffs see compensation and punitive damages against all the defendants names in the case.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 07:44 PM | Permalink

New York Contractor Asked About Asbestos Removal

Federal officials are considering fining Aapex Environmental Services Inc. $57,000 for having exposed employees to asbestos at a suburban construction project. Aapex was cited for six violations of occupational health standards and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found that the required monitoring of employee exposure to asbestos was not conducted on several occasions, even though records monitoring such inspections indicated that inspections had been completed. Aapex was to have been find $42,000 for that finding. The inspection also discovered that Aapex had not collected short-term air sampling, kept accurate exposure monitoring records, notified employees of sampling results, trained employees to establish an asbestos containment system, or prevented asbestos-contaminated water from leaking from an enclosed work area. These five citations will cost Aapex another $15,000 in fines.

N.Y. Contractor Questioned Over Asbestos Removal Conditions

OSHA's fines come up the heels of another scandal that shook Aapex. Last month, Everett Blatche, an Aapex supervisor, admitted that he got rid of asbestos fibers by allowing them to drain into public sewers. Blatche pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Superfund law. Blatche faces up to five years in jail and up to $250,000 in fines. He will be sentenced in August. "This employer chose to bypass employee health and safety at this project by ignoring basic safeguards required by law," said Chris Adams, OSHA's Syracuse-area director.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:40 PM | Permalink

Firefighters May Have Exposed to Asbestos

Pennsylvania State Rep. John T. Galloway is concerned that dozens of firefighters may have been exposed to asbestos during a training drill four years ago at the Levittown Town Center. Federal officials found asbestos violations on the Tullytown site on April 13, 2002. Galloway sent a letter to property owner Stephen Ifshin saying that he exposed the firefighters to a health risk during their training exercises.

Galloway: Firefighters May Have Been Exposed to Asbestos

In his letter, Galloway demanded that Ifshin offer "immediate health examinations" to the firefighters who were possibly exposed to asbestos at the Levittown. Galloway also said that Ifshin should "pay all medical costs" if the firefighters were exposed to asbestos. An excerpt from Galloway's letter reads: "I also ask you to explain why you remained silent and allowed this training session to take place, even though you knew that your company was in the process of removing the asbestos from the building. This is another example of your blatant disregard for members of this community."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:46 PM | Permalink

Researcher Says Asbestos Outlook Too Optimistic

Mark Clements, a researcher from Australian National University, says that many more people will likely die from asbestos-related diseases than was previously estimated. While previous estimates have suggested that the number of mesothelioma cases will peak in 2010, Clements says he thinks the peak will occur in 2010. Clements also believes that the number of cases will be 35 percent higher than previous estimates.

Asbestos disease predictions too low, researcher says

If Clements is correct, there could be great consequences for liability and compensation claims. "Other work done by actuaries predicts 2010. It's not clear whether they made the assumption that it would peak at 2010, which I think is quite commonly held or whether they just found that it was then, so it's not entirely clear why the two models are reaching different conclusions," says Clements.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:08 AM | Permalink

Hardie Appoints American

James Hardie, the Australian company known for its asbestos-related troubles, has hired American Don DeFosset as its new chairman. Former chair Meredith Hellicar and two other directors quit six weeks ago after the corporate regulator filed a damages suit against them. DeFosset was unavailable for comment.

American Takes Helm at Troubled James Hardie

When DeFosset made his first showing at Hardie's shareholder information meeting in February, he said he was familiar with the issue of asbestos claims. DeFosset used to head Walter Industries, a home-building company, until the company was forced to declare bankruptcy as a result of asbestos suits. Don McGauchie will retain his position as Hardie's deputy chair and the only Australian on Hardie's board.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:58 AM | Permalink

Army Medics Prepared for Emotional Trauma of War

Army Lt. Col. Donald Robinson worked as a trauma surgeon at Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey before he worked as the chief of surgical and critical care at the U.S. Army's main medical center in Iraq. Robinson's past surgical experiences, however, did not prepare him for the injuries he saw in Iraq. Because improved body armor and medical care means that more soldiers are able to survive war injuries that once would have meant certain death, injuries are more extensive than any seen in combat before.

U.S. Army medics train for "shock and horror"

Robinson says he can't count how many amputations he performed while working in Iraq: "They were too numerous to count," he said. Robinson currently works as the head of the Army Trauma Training Center and works to prepare army medics headed to Iraq for the "shock and horror" of the experience. While much of the training goes over traditional aspects of medicine, the training also covers "compassion fatigue," which is a post-traumatic stress disorder that affects medical personnel who treat severe wounds. "I think the only way you can get over that is to be trained to understand that, yes, it's devastating, but you sort of have to disassociate yourself or distance yourself away from what you're looking at," Robinson says.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 01:40 PM | Permalink

New EPA Brochure Warns Mechanics About Asbestos

The Environmental Protection Agency has released a new brochure that offers information those who work on cars about the dangers of asbestos-containing automotive parts. Although it is impossible to determine if clutch and brake parts contain asbestos, the new brochure advises that mechanics should assume the possibility of asbestos. The brochure stresses the warning against blowing dust from brakes and clutches with compressed air.

New EPA Asbestos Brochure Targets Auto Mechanics

The brochure also contains information for do-it-yourself mechanics, including advisories that those working from home use pre-ground, ready-to-install parts and that work clothes should not be worn around family members. The brochure is available on the EPA asbestos website.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 02:07 PM | Permalink

Montana Town Contaminated by Asbestos

Seven years ago, the town of Libby, Montana received news that hundreds of its residents had died or been sickened by exposure to asbestos. W.R. Grace and Company operated mines in the area that produced the asbestos as a byproduct and the company and seven former executives are facing charges for having concealed the health risks associated with the mine.

Montana Town Suffers from Asbestos Contamination

Cleanup crews continue to remove asbestos from homes and yards.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 11:39 PM | Permalink

April 30, 2007

It's Official: Study Links Shoulder, Neck Pain with Chair Design

April 27, 2007

Ireland's Smoking Ban Cut Pub Toxins

April 26, 2007

New Mesothelioma Cases Prompt Explanation

April 25, 2007

Former NFL Players Unhappy with NFL's Treatment of Injured Retirees

April 23, 2007

DuPont Employee Sues For Benzene Related Disease

April 20, 2007

AoC Pulls Workers From Tunnels Over Asbestos Worries

April 19, 2007

Building Trade Unions Reach Hexavalent Chromium Agreement

April 18, 2007

Asbestos Suit Names 163 Defendants

April 17, 2007

New York Contractor Asked About Asbestos Removal

April 16, 2007

Firefighters May Have Exposed to Asbestos

April 13, 2007

Researcher Says Asbestos Outlook Too Optimistic

April 12, 2007

Hardie Appoints American

April 11, 2007

Army Medics Prepared for Emotional Trauma of War

April 10, 2007

New EPA Brochure Warns Mechanics About Asbestos

April 09, 2007

Montana Town Contaminated by Asbestos