Capitol tunnel workers have lung disease

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

Three of the 10 men who work in the utility tunnels underneath the U.S. Capitol have asbestos-related lung disease, and another four “most likely” are developing asbestos-related lung disease as well, according to an independent asbestos specialist who recently examined them. The three received a diagnosis of definite asbestosis — the scarring of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The other four received a diagnosis of probable asbestosis.

The NBC News Investigative Unit first reported on the workers’ concerns about dangerous conditions in the tunnels last summer. The workers had complained that their employer, the Architect of the Capitol, had done little to address their complaints or protect them from the conditions, which included the presence of dangerous levels of airborne asbestos.

The new development came as the tunnel workers continue to ask Congress to act to address all the hazards in the Capitol’s tunnel system.

Last year, the workers blew the whistle about serious dangers in their workplace. The tunnels beneath the Capitol carry steam and chilled water throughout the Capitol complex. The workers, known as “the Tunnel Rats,” have worked in these tunnels for years, some for decades.




Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17985570/

[whistle]

1. The tunnel system under Washington DC is lined with asbestos?

...What is morally and ethically wrong with managers who know such conditions exist but choose to keep people exposed to such life threatening conditions or ignore warnings to prevent such things from happening? The insulation and protection of bureaucracy should no longer be accepted as an excuse for endangering the health and lives of working people in such a manner. The dangers of asbestos dust have been widely known for decades.

[aquart]

2. Criminally negligent homicide? Depraved indifference to human life?

[whistle]

3. Yes, those are a good beginning of charges

[Tesha]

6. It's actually considered safer to let sleeping asbestos lie...

It's actually considered safer to let non-friable
(that is, physically sound, appropriately-protected)
asbetos remain where it is than to rip it out just
'cause.

So asbestos pipe lagging (insulation), asbestos-
reinforced flooring, and asbestos-cement exterior
finishes remain in many, many places and, generally,
there's no harm done by it. The risk comes when you
need to disturb it (by cutting through it, for
example).

It's for this reason that it's often left in place
until a renovation forces its removal (because the
renovation will disturb the asbestos). Mr. Tesha's
old workplace was full of the stuff (and it was
documented for the employees to see), but the
building is now being renovated into condos and a
big asbestos removal project is now underway.

Tesha

[DemoTex]

7. Capitol's tunnels, not to be confused with METRO (subway) tunnels.

However, one of the capitol's tunnels is for a little tram system that has been used for decades to shuttle members of congress from the office buildings to the capitol building.

[donsu]

4. kicking for justice

nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. K&R so more eyes will see this

n/t

[tunnelrat9]

8. thanx

well hello!! i am new here and not very puter literate,,,, i am one of the tunnel workers and i would like to use some of the free space to thank some of the people helping us,,,and there are many so i will just do a few now and tell more of the story later as i just got home from work and it was ruff today,,, at the moment sen patty murray is doing what is rare these days, the right thing,,, she and a certain member of her staff, bill, are fighting a system of hide the problems by the architect of the capitols office,, we have been in the news alot over the last year and have had some reps tell us help was on the way and then never hear from them again,,, senators murray, boxer, feinstein, and congresspersons wasserman-shultz, and obey are actually saving our lives and giving us hope that the next crew to maintain the tunnels will be safe and proud to work for the congress,,,i am 48 and have scarring on my lower lung field, this will lead to one of the diseases that are terminal and presently no cure is known,,,i have several types of carcinogens in my blood from welding in the confined spaces,,arsenic,magneseum,berillium, and few others,,,this has damaged my kidneys and liver,,, and it goes on and on and on,,,,,i am a little better off than some of my coworkers who are facing worse timelines for the final stages of theyre conditions,,, our story is a long and well documented tale of unreal working conditions,,,when the whole story is wrote down it will be hard to find anyone to beleive all of it,,,


"TEN MEN DYING"