FELA Lawyers

Railroad Workers at Risk of Cancer

Some of the hardest workers that are commonly overlooked are railroad workers. Working long hours and risking life and limb to keep trains moving, these workers make everyday transportation safe for commuters.

Recently, railroad workers have had a new risk introduced into the workplace. Certain blood cancers are being associated with the low frequency magnetic fields that railroad workers are exposed to on a daily basis. The risk of myeloid leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma for railroad workers has increases depending on the amount of time they are exposed to very low frequency magnetic fields.

Although railroad workers have lower exposure to these magnetic fields than train drivers and station managers, the risk is still serious enough that studies are being conducted to truly understand the effects of long term exposure.

Electric and magnetic fields happen around any area of energy around electrical devices. This includes computers, electrical wiring, power lines, and appliances, as well as occurring naturally in the environment. For railroad workers, the danger appears in the magnetic fields created by the trains and rail stations that run on the tracks that they work on. Human-created electric and magnetic fields are being studied to see whether these fields promote cancer.

Precautions can be taken to reduce the amount of exposure to these low frequency magnetic fields. Railroad equipment used everyday by railroad workers can be designed to minimize magnetic field exposure. Train engines can be altered for this purpose.

FELA, the Federal Employers Liability Act, protects railroad workers from injuries on the job. If you are a railroad worker and have been injured on the job, you have many options and legal rights under FELA. Contact a FELA lawyer at Williams Kherkher today to schedule a free initial consultation. Call 1-800-220-9341 to set up your consultation.