Benzene A Danger to Railroad Workers

Many railroad workers in the B & B departments, such as carpenters, masons, and painters may be exposed to benzene and benzene-containing products such as paints, paint thinners, gasoline, kerosene and various degreasers and solvents. These chemicals can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin and even swallowed. Respirators alone, therefore, are not enough to protect railroad workers from exposure to these cancer-causing substances.

Benzene is a well established carcinogen (cancer causing agent). There is a particularly strong association between benzene and certain types of leukemia. The term leukemia includes any type of cancer that affects blood cells. American Cancer Society statistics site leukemia as the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths among men and the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths of women.

Possible leukemia symptoms include pale skin due to anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, and a decrease in the concentration of red blood. This can result in nose bleeds, bleeding gums, and a tendency to bruise easily. When the white blood cells are affected, it causes a leukemic patient to become more prone to infection.

The four major forms of leukemia are acute myelocytic leukemia (called AML), chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Although its cause is unknown, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), much like leukemia, has been linked to environmental exposure (ex: benzene) by several scientific studies. Treatment and prognosis of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and leukemia are dependent on which stage of the disease the patient is in, as well as the patient's overall health.

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