Archive for category Industry

Workers Memorial Day remembers those killed on the job

Posted by Marc@SokoloveLaw in Industry, Mesothelioma, Support on April 29, 2010

Workers Memorial Day poster 200x300 Workers Memorial Day remembers those killed on the job

Worker's Memorial Day poster from the Dept. of Labor

Yesterday’s observance of Workers Memorial Day comes as a solemn reminder to those who have spent their lives working in dangerous and hazardous conditions to provide for themselves and their families – especially those who sacrificed their life in doing so.

The reminder is especially poignant for the many that have been exposed to asbestos or living with Mesothelioma, as this exposure largely occurred in the workplace. With 2,000 to 3,000 newly diagnosed cases of Mesothelioma each year and thousands of lives already claimed by the disease, today should prompt all of us to reflect on how Asbestos has become one of the biggest threats to workplace safety, and what we can do ourselves to ban the use of Asbestos once and for all in the U.S.

The observance began in Canada in 1984, with the date of April 28 significant as it was the date of the first Workers Compensation Act in Canada. It was observed in the U.S. for the first time in 1989.

The motto – “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living” – is a quote from prominent Gilded Age labor advocate and community organizer Mary Harris Jones (a.k.a. “Mother Jones”), and is especially applicable to the fight to ban asbestos and advocating litigation for those suffering from Mesothelioma. Asbestos companies knew the danger their product posed for decades, yet chose to hide these findings because they deemed profits to be more important than the health and safety of thousands of workers.

According to statistics from the International Labor Organization (ILO), more than 160 million fall victim to work-related illnesses around the world each year, with Asbestos claiming and estimated 100,000 lives.

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Firefighting Linked to Increased Rates of Cancer

Posted by Colin@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Industry, Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma on April 9, 2010

Mike Dubron, founder of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, recently answered some questions concerning the job of a firefighter and its connection to cancer.  Dubron, himself a cancer survivor, said the experience opened his eyes to the ways in which firefighters are vulnerable to certain carcinogens in the workplace including hazardous chemicals and building materials.  His exploration led him to numerous studies, including Grace Lemasters’ report from the University of Cincinnati, showing a direct correlation between different types of cancer and firefighting.

Firefighters are constantly at risk during the course of a day, even during downtime at the station.  Fire engines run on diesel fuel and benzene exposure from the exhaust is very common.  Structural fire fighting in its various forms brings the added danger of emissions from both known and unknown dangerous materials.  One concern within the industry is the potential for asbestos exposure while fighting fire in older buildings.  Exposure to asbestos, a hazardous mineral common in construction products, can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other health problems.  Mesothelioma is a cancer caused almost always by asbestos exposure and is usually fatal within two years of a diagnosis.  Mesothelioma lawsuits are prevalent because many asbestos manufacturers continued to supply their products despite knowledge of its harmful effects on the lung.

With the evidence that firefighters have an increased risk of cancer, comes an increased importance to determine and follow the best safety measures.  Wearing a breathing apparatus at all times and continually maintaining the proper equipment are recommendations from Dubron.  Other suggestions from him include diesel exhaust removal systems and annual wellness exams for firefighters.  For additional information on Firefighter safety training, check out FullyInvolvedFire.com.

Click here for the original article

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Announcing the Dangers of Asbestos Exposure on New England Cable News

Posted by Marcus@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Industry, Legal, Mesothelioma, Treatment on April 8, 2010

As part of the Ask the Experts series on New England Cable News (NECN.com), attorney Jim Sokolove of Sokolove Law will speak about the dangers of asbestos exposure and your legal rights.  He will discuss:

  • The History of Asbestos
  • Asbestos’ link to Cancer and Mesothelioma
  • Exposure Risk and Occupations
  • Current State of Asbestos Use and Litigation Today
  • Your Legal rights and taking action

You can also ask your questions and get them answered live!
Tuesday, April 13
12:30 – 1:00 PM ET (Eastern Time)

Click here to register and submit a question for the webinar.

About Ask the Experts
An occasional series exclusively on NECN.com – “Ask the Experts” gives you the chance to ask leading minds in diverse fields from law to engineering the questions that matter to you on a variety of topics.
About Sokolove Law
Sokolove Law, LLC is the nation’s most trusted name in mesothelioma justice, and the first truly national law firm with an office and a licensed attorney in almost every state. Jim Sokolove’s passion and commitment to legal access and public service has helped bring justice and compensation to over 2,000 victims of asbestos-related diseases and cancers — and their loved ones.

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EPA: Kansas Dept. Of Corrections Exposed Employees, Inmates to Asbestos

Posted by Marcus@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Industry, Legal, Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma on March 26, 2010

The Kansas Dept. of Corrections (DOC) exposed employees and inmates to asbestos during a 2005-2006 renovation project, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The federal agency issued a compliance order against the Kansas DOC, saying they failed to conduct an asbestos inspection prior to beginning renovation work on a dormitory at the Topeka Correction Facility.

More alarming, is the asbestos exposure aspect of the story.  Employees and inmates were made to “serve on work crews removing asbestos flooring  with grinders, brooms and shovels without the benefit of adequate training or protective equipment,” according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

The mechanical grinders released clouds of asbestos-containing dust.  Workers were not provided with respirators and water sprayers were not used to hold down the dust.  Furthermore, corrections officials did not warn work crews of the risks involved.

They undoubtedly breathed in the dust, increasing their risk of developing lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma – a cancer associated with asbestos exposure.

EPA Spokesman Chris Whitley said this work was a public health hazard.  “It is scientifically proven that asbestos carries great health risks,” he said. “These regulations are put in place for a reason. They’re put in place to protect the people who are involved in the renovation work as well as anyone who may be exposed to it. At a bare minimum, an inspection has to occur.”

The order states that the Kansas DOC work was done in violation of state and federal laws, but the EPA will not fine the state agency.

Click here for the EPA Statement.

Click here for the Topeka Capital-Journal article.

Click here for the Kansas City Star article.

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Asbestos Pipes Reignite Controversy in South Florida Land Deal

Posted by Marcus@SokoloveLaw in Exposure, Industry, Mesothelioma on March 24, 2010

A recent land deal, whose price tag was a point of great controversy in recent local elections, has come under further scrutiny because asbestos pipes were discovered underneath the land.

The south Florida town of Davie paid $12.5 million for land on which town board members planned to build a park and possibly a water plant.  A portion of the site also contained a former mobile home community.

The town board has come under intense criticism because the land was purchased without undergoing thorough environmental testing and asbestos pipes have since been found.  Most pipes run under streets and sidewalks.  If the pipes were taken into account, the town would have been able to purchase the land for a lower price.

Administrators claim they had no knowledge of the hazardous pipes.  A Phase I environmental study was conducted on the site, which produced one line in the 186 page report mentioning the existence of the pipes: “The utility piping beneath the site is asbestos containing.”  A more rigorous Phase II study would surely have highlighted the hazardous problem and led to environmental testing.

Many parents are not willing to let their children risk asbestos exposure at the park even though some people still claim the pipes would be safe if left undisturbed.  If they became exposed and/or damaged, people nearby could inhale the dust and face a greater risk of developing asbestosis or mesothelioma later in life.

Estimates to remove the pipes range from $26,000 to over $200,000.

“As long as they’re there, the danger is lurking,” Brent Kynoch, managing director of the Environmental Information Association in Chevy Chase, Md. told The South Florida Sentinel.

“The danger comes 30 years from now when people forget they’re there. One day someone is digging to put in a new jungle gym, and they get a face full of asbestos. The prudent thing would be to pull them out of the ground and get rid of them.”

Click here to read the article.

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