There are many railroads throughout Pennsylvania. In the past, Philadelphia railroad workers were exposed to asbestos during their jobs as asbestos was used in many railroad products until the 1980s. Since asbestos is extremely resistant to heat, it was used in many processes that involved a lot of high heat. Since railroads involve a lot of friction, this causes high heat.
Asbestos was used as an insulation material in boilers, clutches, gaskets, steam engines, and more. Places that exposed workers to asbestos the most included boiler rooms, engine rooms, boxcars, and more. Even passenger cars contained asbestos materials. In the past, asbestos was used to line the ceilings, walls, and floors of passenger cars. Asbestos was also used in the wallboards and floor tiles of cabins.
When products that contained asbestos were repaired or changed, the asbestos dust would be released into the air. This would cause those in the surrounding environment to be exposed to the asbestos fibers and in turn put them at risk for developing an asbestos-related disease later in life. Philadelphia railroad workers were at risk working on trains and repairing train parts. Philadelphia railroad workers of the past may not see the symptoms of asbestos until decades later. Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, has a long latency period. If you were a railroad worker and have developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestos, or another asbestos-related disease, it can probably be traced back at least partly to your time as a railroad worker.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company was one of the railroads companies that used asbestos on its locomotives. This railroad was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and at one point was the largest railroad in the world.
Philadelphia Railroad Workers at Amtrak
Amtrak is a railroad company known to have exposed workers to asbestos. The Philadelphia Amtrak station is located inside 30th Street Station in Center City Philadelphia. Philadelphia Railroad workers who worked on Amtrak trains were more than likely exposed to asbestos.
In a 1984 article in the National Edition of the New York Times, a headline reads “THE REGION: Amtrak Facing Asbestos Charges.” Within the article it states, “… Amtrak consistently violates Federal safety standards for worker exposure to harmful asbestos fibers.” It goes on to say, “The complaint, filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, involves at least 40 electrical workers at 12 substations between New York and Philadelphia.” Within the article it states that a spokesman for Amtrak said that they did not know that asbestos was in the substations, however the employees would crawl inside the equipment with no protection.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, call us at (800) 505-6000 or fill out our contact form. Philadelphia railroad workers were exposed to asbestos during their daily work and the companies that exposed them to the carcinogen should be held accountable. We have represented many railroad workers in the past and we will continue to do so. We help victims of asbestos-related diseases in Pennsylvania.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/13/nyregion/the-region-amtrak-facing-asbestos-charges.html
