Employees at Risk

Exposure to diesel exhaust has been a daily reality for many railroad employees.

Common sources of diesel exposure include:

• Deadheading on trailing locomotives
• Running long-nose forward
• Traveling through tunnels with poor ventilation
• Working on outdated locomotives that leak exhaust into cabs
• Operating diesel-powered equipment inside car shops, such as forklifts, cranes, and torpedo heaters
• Track and engineering department personnel working in enclosed spaces, such as tunnels and buildings

Many engineers and brakemen carried duct tape to seal cracks in floors, walls, and windows to keep exhaust out of the cab. However, these makeshift solutions were not enough to prevent chronic exposure.

A retired engineer put it best:“A 4000-horsepower locomotive burns 240 gallons of fuel an hour at full load. The equipment blower forces polluted air into the cab, where the crew sits for 10-plus hours a day breathing dirty air. Management doesn’t care.”

Diesel Exhaust & Cancer Risks

According to the World Health Organization, diesel exhaust is a known lung carcinogen.

Experts have also linked diesel exposure to:

• Lung cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Laryngeal cancer
• Throat cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Kidney cancer

In addition to diesel exhaust, railroad engineers, conductors, and car and track department workers were exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos was commonly used in:

• Cab heater lines
• Steam boilers and generators
• Heating pipes inside locomotive cabs
• Composite brake shoes used in locomotives and railcars
• Car shop insulation, steam pipes, and asbestos-containing brake linings
• Asbestos-containing materials in cabooses, including stoves and flooring
• Track workers demolishing old buildings and removing asbestos-laden infrastructure

Workers removing asbestos from locomotives and car shops often described it as being in damaged and friable condition, meaning asbestos fibers were easily released into the air.

Many carmen and mechanics were also exposed to asbestos dust while grinding brake pads or torch-cutting asbestos-lined components.

These exposures can lead to mesothelioma and other cancers, including:

• Lung cancer
• Laryngeal cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Kidney cancer

Car department workers, especially carmen and mechanics, were routinely exposed to welding fumes, solvents, and degreasers.

Some of the most hazardous exposures included:

• Welding on metals containing lead, cadmium, or manganese
• Torch burning, metal grinding, and plasma cutting
• Using solvents and parts cleaners such as Safety-Kleen and lacquer thinner
• Degreasers and thinners containing benzene, a known cause of leukemia

These exposures have been linked to various cancers, including:

• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma

In addition to diesel, asbestos, welding fumes, and secondhand smoke, railroad workers have reported exposure to:

• Creosote
• Silica dust
• Herbicides from spray trains
• Coke emissions and chemical fumes from steel mills and refineries

These exposures can contribute to diseases such as:

• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Silicosis
• Reactive Airway Disease

Many railroad workers never smoked but were still diagnosed with lung cancer due to secondhand smoke exposure in locomotive cabs, cabooses, and car shops.

Secondhand smoke was a serious issue in the 1970s and 80s, and some railroads did not fully ban smoking until 2004-2005.

Even after the bans, many railroads failed to enforce their policies.

Cancers linked to secondhand smoke include:

• Lung cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Colon and rectal cancer
• Throat and esophageal cancer
• Laryngeal cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Pancreatic cancer

At Gianaris Trial Lawyers, our legal team works with industrial hygiene experts to evaluate all potential exposures when building your case against the railroad.