According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), welding,
soldering, and brazing workers are frequently exposed to a
number of hazards, including the intense light created by
the arc, poisonous fumes, and very hot materials. During
the period from 1992 to 2001, fatal occupational injury
rates for welders and cutters were 1.7 to 3.3 times greater
than injury rates for all other construction workers. Rates
for welders and cutters showed an increasing trend, from
23.7 per 100,000 full-time workers in 1992, to 45.4 in
1997. The fatal injury rate of 39.9 per 100,000 full-time
workers in 2001 was 3 times the rate for all construction
workers and represented a 68% increase from 1992.
If an employee currently works, previously worked, or is in
an area where industrial welding is being performed,
chances are the employee was exposed to welding rod fumes.
Recent medical research suggests that exposure to welding
fumes may lead many health problems, including two serious
illnesses, Parkinson's disease and Manganism. There are
many court cases pending regarding this exposure, the
hazards involved and the health impact on employees.
For example, in early September 2005 a Mississippi shipyard
worker who claimed his neurological problems were caused by
inhaling fumes from welding rods concluded his lawsuit by
settling with the final two welding company defendants in
his case. The worker's lawsuit against the two welding
manufacturers was scheduled for trial the following week.
The lawsuit was settled for more than one million dollars.
As stated, the two diseases most commonly reported in
medical research from the exposure to welding fumes are
Manganism and Parkinson's disease. A description of each of
these diseases follows:
* Manganism, also known as secondary Parkinsonism, is a
condition that develops when excessive levels of manganese
injure that portion of the brain that controls body
movements. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue,
headache, slow or slurred speech, poor memory, impaired
balance and tremors, delusions and hallucinations,
disorientation and/or difficulty walking.
* In addition to Manganism, recent studies have found that
exposure to manganese fumes is associated with the early
onset of Parkinson's disease. In fact, research conducted
at the Washington University School of Medicine found that
welders developed symptoms of Parkinson's disease an
average of 15 years earlier than the general population.
* Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions
called motor system disorders, which are the result of the
loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The four primary
symptoms of the disease are tremor or trembling in hands,
arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the
limbs and trunk; slowness of movement; and postural
instability, or impaired balance and coordination. As these
symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have
difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple
tasks. Early symptoms of the disease are subtle and occur
gradually. Other symptoms may include depression and other
emotional changes; difficulty in swallowing, chewing, and
speaking; urinary problems or constipation; skin problems;
and sleep disruptions.
Employees that have been involved in welding, or who have
worked for long periods in areas where welding work was
being performed, and have a number of the symptoms listed
above, should seek legal guidance. It is necessary to study
work history records and evaluate medical records to
determine whether there may be a valid claim against the
manufacturers. Potential claims are subject to statute of
limitations.
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LegalView.com is the number one resource for everything
legal on the Web. To find information on construction
accident injury law firm, contact
http://construction.legalview.com/ . Or for more
information on the dangers of the welding profession visit
http://www.LegalView.com/ . Here you will be able to learn
how to find attorney referral services for welding
professionals as well as other legal injuries such as
locating an auto accident lawyer.
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