A NEW group was launched yesterday to provide help and support for North East workers exposed to asbestos.
Members of the Northern TUC marked Workers' Memorial Day in Gateshead by launching the North East Asbestos Support Group.
They were joined by other union leaders, health professionals and also by Chris Knighton, whose husband Mick died from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos.
He was diagnosed aged 59 in August 2000 and died the following March 2001, having served in the Royal Navy as a young man when asbestos products were widely used.
Mrs Knighton, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, then launched the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, which has so far raised more than pounds 350,000.
Yesterday's meeting took place at the Springfield Hotel, Gate shead, and was followed by the 100 attendees walking to Saltwell Park for a memorial ceremony and wreath-laying at the Rose Garden Park. Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC regional secretary, said: "Workers Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to highlight the ongoing challenges that we face in the region regarding the health, safety and wellbeing of working people.
"There are still far too many workers each year being killed, maimed or disabled because of their occupation.
"Much more effort must be concentrated on occupational health and wellbeing actions in order to ensure that workplaces are a source of health, not a cause of ill-health."
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Unions target asbestos
THE Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) claims 1.5 million Australians may be exposed to occupational carcinogens.
The ACTU says workers in the construction, transport and defence industries have a higher level of risk because they can come into contact with cancer-causing substances like asbestos. Statistics provided by the council showed 12% of all male workers are exposed to such material.
The trade unions used the International Workers' Memorial Day to call for a national Asbestos Inquiry. They say 2008 will be the year for raising awareness of the risk posed by cancers caused or contributed to by work.
According to the council, Australia has the highest rate of recorded mesothelioma in the world. Considering exposure to asbestos is the only cause of the disease, it holds deep concerns on the amount of asbestos floating around in workplaces.
The council says the inquiry should look at elimination of the material from workplaces and homes, as well as compensation, treatment and cure for those affected by exposure. It has also called for an improvement in asbestos regulation and tougher enforcement of asbestos-related laws.
The ACTU says workers in the construction, transport and defence industries have a higher level of risk because they can come into contact with cancer-causing substances like asbestos. Statistics provided by the council showed 12% of all male workers are exposed to such material.
The trade unions used the International Workers' Memorial Day to call for a national Asbestos Inquiry. They say 2008 will be the year for raising awareness of the risk posed by cancers caused or contributed to by work.
According to the council, Australia has the highest rate of recorded mesothelioma in the world. Considering exposure to asbestos is the only cause of the disease, it holds deep concerns on the amount of asbestos floating around in workplaces.
The council says the inquiry should look at elimination of the material from workplaces and homes, as well as compensation, treatment and cure for those affected by exposure. It has also called for an improvement in asbestos regulation and tougher enforcement of asbestos-related laws.
Utah man files asbestos complaint in Madison County
A Utah man suffering from mesothelioma filed an asbestos suit in Madison County Circuit Court April 17, claiming his disease was wrongfully caused.
George Geisler claims he has been employed since 1978 as a machinist at various locations in Utah and Illinois.
Geisler claims that during the course of his employment and during home and automotive repairs he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed asbestos fibers emanating from certain products he was working with and around.
He names 59 defendant corporations that include Bondex International, CBS, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, General Motors, Goodyear, Honeywell International, Ingersoll-Rand, John Crane, Owens-Illinois, and Philips Electronics.
"The plaintiff's exposure and inhalation, ingestion or absorption of the asbestos fibers was completely foreseeable and could or should have been anticipated by the defendants," the complaint states.
Geisler claims the defendants knew or should have known that the asbestos fibers contained in their products had a toxic, poisonous and highly deleterious effect upon the health of people.
According to Geisler, he first became aware that he suffered from mesothelioma on Feb. 14
Geisler alleges that the defendants included asbestos in their products even when adequate substitutes were available and failed to provide any or adequate instructions concerning the safe methods of working with and around asbestos.
He also claims that the defendants failed to require and advise employees of hygiene practices designed to reduce or prevent carrying asbestos fibers home.
As a result of the alleged negligence, Geisler claims he was exposed to fibers containing asbestos. He developed a disease caused only by asbestos which has disabled and disfigured him, the complaint states.
He seeks damages to help pay for the cost of his treatment.
Geisler also suffers "great physical pain and mental anguish, and also will be hindered and prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment, thereby losing large sums of money," the complaint states.
He is seeking at least $250,000 in damages for negligence, willful and wanton acts, conspiracy, and negligent spoliation of evidence among other allegations.
"In addition to compensatory damages, an award of punitive damages is appropriate and necessary in order to punish the defendants for willful, wanton, intentional and reckless misconduct and to deter them and others from engaging in like misconduct in the future," the complaint states.
Geisler is represented by G. Michael Stewart and Timothy Thompson, Jr., of SimmonsCooper in East Alton.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Court Judge Daniel Stack.
George Geisler claims he has been employed since 1978 as a machinist at various locations in Utah and Illinois.
Geisler claims that during the course of his employment and during home and automotive repairs he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed asbestos fibers emanating from certain products he was working with and around.
He names 59 defendant corporations that include Bondex International, CBS, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, General Motors, Goodyear, Honeywell International, Ingersoll-Rand, John Crane, Owens-Illinois, and Philips Electronics.
"The plaintiff's exposure and inhalation, ingestion or absorption of the asbestos fibers was completely foreseeable and could or should have been anticipated by the defendants," the complaint states.
Geisler claims the defendants knew or should have known that the asbestos fibers contained in their products had a toxic, poisonous and highly deleterious effect upon the health of people.
According to Geisler, he first became aware that he suffered from mesothelioma on Feb. 14
Geisler alleges that the defendants included asbestos in their products even when adequate substitutes were available and failed to provide any or adequate instructions concerning the safe methods of working with and around asbestos.
He also claims that the defendants failed to require and advise employees of hygiene practices designed to reduce or prevent carrying asbestos fibers home.
As a result of the alleged negligence, Geisler claims he was exposed to fibers containing asbestos. He developed a disease caused only by asbestos which has disabled and disfigured him, the complaint states.
He seeks damages to help pay for the cost of his treatment.
Geisler also suffers "great physical pain and mental anguish, and also will be hindered and prevented from pursuing his normal course of employment, thereby losing large sums of money," the complaint states.
He is seeking at least $250,000 in damages for negligence, willful and wanton acts, conspiracy, and negligent spoliation of evidence among other allegations.
"In addition to compensatory damages, an award of punitive damages is appropriate and necessary in order to punish the defendants for willful, wanton, intentional and reckless misconduct and to deter them and others from engaging in like misconduct in the future," the complaint states.
Geisler is represented by G. Michael Stewart and Timothy Thompson, Jr., of SimmonsCooper in East Alton.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Court Judge Daniel Stack.
Cancer strikes carpenters: study
A TENTH of all carpenters born before 1950 will die of mesothelioma, according to a British study to be released in Melbourne tonight.
They will be among 30,000 Australians who will die from mesothelioma between 2000 and 2050.
Cancer research specialist Professor Julian Peto made the findings during research into the lifetime occupations of 600 mesothelioma patients and an analysis of international trends in mesothelioma mortality.
Prof Peto said the cause of mesothelioma was not restricted to the deadly blue asbestos, also known as crocidolite, but to brown asbestos (amosite) which was used in building products in Australia and Britain until the 1980s.
Brown asbestos was a major component in most asbestos cement sheeting and roofing used in the building industry.
“I think that is one of the things that's largely been missed in much of the discussion on mesothelioma,” Prof Peto said.
“The use of these products was completely uncontrolled.
“Carpenters would chop it up with power saws without much concern at all.
“And this was after we became aware of the dangers of blue asbestos.”
Prof Peto's research also revealed that Australia and the UK have the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, with 600 cases per year in Australia and almost 2,000 in Britain, and figures are rising.
He said that 10 per cent of Australian carpenters born before 1950 were likely to die of asbestos-related cancers.
The rate for Australia and the UK is more than five times that of the United States, mainly because of different construction methods, Prof Peto said.
Prof Peto's research also questions why it was once believed that asbestos exposure below a certain threshold would be safe.
The professor was due to deliver the Miegunyah Public Lecture at Melbourne University tonight.
They will be among 30,000 Australians who will die from mesothelioma between 2000 and 2050.
Cancer research specialist Professor Julian Peto made the findings during research into the lifetime occupations of 600 mesothelioma patients and an analysis of international trends in mesothelioma mortality.
Prof Peto said the cause of mesothelioma was not restricted to the deadly blue asbestos, also known as crocidolite, but to brown asbestos (amosite) which was used in building products in Australia and Britain until the 1980s.
Brown asbestos was a major component in most asbestos cement sheeting and roofing used in the building industry.
“I think that is one of the things that's largely been missed in much of the discussion on mesothelioma,” Prof Peto said.
“The use of these products was completely uncontrolled.
“Carpenters would chop it up with power saws without much concern at all.
“And this was after we became aware of the dangers of blue asbestos.”
Prof Peto's research also revealed that Australia and the UK have the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, with 600 cases per year in Australia and almost 2,000 in Britain, and figures are rising.
He said that 10 per cent of Australian carpenters born before 1950 were likely to die of asbestos-related cancers.
The rate for Australia and the UK is more than five times that of the United States, mainly because of different construction methods, Prof Peto said.
Prof Peto's research also questions why it was once believed that asbestos exposure below a certain threshold would be safe.
The professor was due to deliver the Miegunyah Public Lecture at Melbourne University tonight.
New mesothelioma drug being developed
I recently posted about the progress of a new drug to treat mesothelioma, called ONCONASE, which has completed Phase IIIb clinical trials and is being fast-tracked for approval in the U.S. ONCONASE already has orphan-drug status in the EU and Australia.
This week, I found a story that provides even more hope. It seems a Madison, Wisconsin-based biotech firm, Quintessence Bioscience, also has a promising mesothelioma drug in the works that operates along the same lines as ONCONASE, tagged QBI-139. The Quintessence drug is not yet in clinical trials.
Both drugs target RNA in cancer cells. They are therapeutic ribonucleases (RNases), which WTN News (Wisconsin Technology News) writer Steve Clark describes as “ubiquitous enzymes that destroy RNA.” He explains that researchers including the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Ronald Raines, “discovered that RNases from non-human species sometimes are not regulated inside human cells and can cause cell death. Surprisingly, cancer cells are much more susceptible than normal cells to foreign RNases.”
The ONCONASE product is made from purified frog eggs. The Quintessence drug is 95 percent human, but still kills human cancer cells, Clark reports. Both drugs can kill a wide range of different human cancer types, he says, so its application has broad potential. The ONCONASE clinical trial data is from patients with malignant mesothelioma.
Clark reports that Quintessence is optimistic about its QBI-139 surpassing the positive results of ONCONASE. He says that frog-derived ONCONASE has been shown to cause allergic reactions in some patients, which would be mitigated in the 95 percent human-gene QBI-139. Additionally, he reports QBI-139 is less toxic than ONCONASE, which will allow it to be better tolerated by some patients in larger doses.
Currently, Clark reports, QBI-139 is being produced for use in a Phase I clinical trial, which is set to begin this summer and end sometime in 2009. It is anticipated that the trial will be held at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center.
This week, I found a story that provides even more hope. It seems a Madison, Wisconsin-based biotech firm, Quintessence Bioscience, also has a promising mesothelioma drug in the works that operates along the same lines as ONCONASE, tagged QBI-139. The Quintessence drug is not yet in clinical trials.
Both drugs target RNA in cancer cells. They are therapeutic ribonucleases (RNases), which WTN News (Wisconsin Technology News) writer Steve Clark describes as “ubiquitous enzymes that destroy RNA.” He explains that researchers including the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Ronald Raines, “discovered that RNases from non-human species sometimes are not regulated inside human cells and can cause cell death. Surprisingly, cancer cells are much more susceptible than normal cells to foreign RNases.”
The ONCONASE product is made from purified frog eggs. The Quintessence drug is 95 percent human, but still kills human cancer cells, Clark reports. Both drugs can kill a wide range of different human cancer types, he says, so its application has broad potential. The ONCONASE clinical trial data is from patients with malignant mesothelioma.
Clark reports that Quintessence is optimistic about its QBI-139 surpassing the positive results of ONCONASE. He says that frog-derived ONCONASE has been shown to cause allergic reactions in some patients, which would be mitigated in the 95 percent human-gene QBI-139. Additionally, he reports QBI-139 is less toxic than ONCONASE, which will allow it to be better tolerated by some patients in larger doses.
Currently, Clark reports, QBI-139 is being produced for use in a Phase I clinical trial, which is set to begin this summer and end sometime in 2009. It is anticipated that the trial will be held at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center.
DoD targeted for cancer funds
The 2009 defense appropriations bill has become a battleground for cancer research.
More than a dozen senators, aided by an intense grassroots lobby, are pushing for funds to examine asbestos-related cancer.
Supporters argue that at least one-third of the people suffering from mesothelioma — a lethal form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure — have either been in the Navy or worked in Navy shipyards across the country.
Without a steady funding stream for mesothelioma research, scientists who may have considered work in such a field have been turned off, according to Chris Hahn, the executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation).
“Mesothelioma starts out somewhat as an orphan disease,” Hahn said in an interview. “It’s hard to motivate [researchers] unless there are consistent funds.”
The Meso Foundation has been behind a strong legislative and grassroots push to see more federal money poured into research and treatment of asbestos-related cancer. According to Senate records, the foundation is represented in Washington by Neimand Collaborative and has paid the lobby shop $335,000 since 2005.
But Hahn said the foundation is not looking to see money earmarked for the cause. Instead, they want to see mesothelioma listed as a priority part of the Pentagon’s peer-reviewed medical research program. Researchers would then compete for grants from the Department of Defense. And Congress has a say in how much money goes to the overall program — as well as which diseases would be listed as a priority.
In the 2008 defense appropriations bill, Congress appropriated $50 million for the peer-reviewed program.
Hahn said that it is yet unclear how much grant money would go into asbestos-related cancer research since the grant reviews are ongoing.
But he noted last year was the first time supporters saw a legislative victory, one that should be continued into fiscal 2009 appropriations.
It is unclear whether Congress will pass the 2009 defense appropriations bill or if it will approve a continuing resolution funding the Pentagon at the 2008 level.
Several senators sent a letter last month to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Defense panel, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who have been at the forefront to get more money for research and treatment.
The town of Bremerton in Washington state, near the Puget Sound naval shipyard, has one of the highest incidences of asbestos-related cancer. And hundreds of people have been sickened or killed because of asbestos exposure from a former vermiculite mine in Libby, Mont.
“Advancements in the early detection and treatment of this deadly cancer are greatly needed and the mesothelioma medical and research community is well-positioned to achieve this goal,” the senators wrote to the panel’s leaders. “Funding through the Department of Defense appropriations bill is an important demonstration of our nation’s commitment to addressing the tragedy of mesothelioma and its disproportionate impact on those who serve our country.”
Among the 15 senators who signed the letter are Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.).
Hahn said that his foundation is not planning to approach the Pentagon. He said they spoke to the Department of Veterans Affairs because it’s veterans who were exposed to asbestos on ships and, in particular, vis-à-vis shipbuilding, who are affected.
For example, Groton, Conn., one of the Navy’s largest submarine bases, found about 100,000 workers who have been exposed to asbestos, said Hahn. Much of the exposure in the Navy cases happened between World War II and the Vietnam War, when asbestos was used in shipyards and in ships.
It was used primarily for its fire-retardant properties and, at the time, was not thought to be dangerous. In fact, asbestos alone is not dangerous. Only when it is broken up into small particles that can become airborne does it become harmful.
Additionally, asbestos was used heavily for decades in construction, industry and even household appliances.
Exposure to asbestos even in small amounts can cause cancer, said Hahn.
It is estimated that about 3,000 Americans develop mesothelioma each year. The cancer usually develops many years after the exposure. Though the disease can remain latent for decades, it typically kills within two years of the initial diagnosis.
Vaughn Oney, a machinist who worked at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia for 31 years, died of mesothelioma in 2006. A Newport News Circuit Court jury recently awarded $5.55 million to his widow.
The Meso Foundation will hold its three-day annual symposium in Washington, starting on June 26. More than 100 grassroots supporters will be meeting that day with their congressional representatives. At last year’s symposium they met with 120 lawmakers, said Hahn.
The foundation’s hope for more research funds does not only rely on the defense bill. The so-called Ban Asbestos bill, introduced by Murray and passed in the Senate last October, would dole out $10 million a year for the cancer research. The companion to that bill has yet to pass the House.
“For decades the football was stuck in the opposing team’s endzone,” Hahn said. “The ball is finally moving, but we still have 90 yards to go out of 100.”
The Meso Foundation, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., funds about $1 million a year for research worldwide.
Ideally, Hahn said the scientific community would need $29 million a year to make visible progress.
More than a dozen senators, aided by an intense grassroots lobby, are pushing for funds to examine asbestos-related cancer.
Supporters argue that at least one-third of the people suffering from mesothelioma — a lethal form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure — have either been in the Navy or worked in Navy shipyards across the country.
Without a steady funding stream for mesothelioma research, scientists who may have considered work in such a field have been turned off, according to Chris Hahn, the executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation).
“Mesothelioma starts out somewhat as an orphan disease,” Hahn said in an interview. “It’s hard to motivate [researchers] unless there are consistent funds.”
The Meso Foundation has been behind a strong legislative and grassroots push to see more federal money poured into research and treatment of asbestos-related cancer. According to Senate records, the foundation is represented in Washington by Neimand Collaborative and has paid the lobby shop $335,000 since 2005.
But Hahn said the foundation is not looking to see money earmarked for the cause. Instead, they want to see mesothelioma listed as a priority part of the Pentagon’s peer-reviewed medical research program. Researchers would then compete for grants from the Department of Defense. And Congress has a say in how much money goes to the overall program — as well as which diseases would be listed as a priority.
In the 2008 defense appropriations bill, Congress appropriated $50 million for the peer-reviewed program.
Hahn said that it is yet unclear how much grant money would go into asbestos-related cancer research since the grant reviews are ongoing.
But he noted last year was the first time supporters saw a legislative victory, one that should be continued into fiscal 2009 appropriations.
It is unclear whether Congress will pass the 2009 defense appropriations bill or if it will approve a continuing resolution funding the Pentagon at the 2008 level.
Several senators sent a letter last month to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Defense panel, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who have been at the forefront to get more money for research and treatment.
The town of Bremerton in Washington state, near the Puget Sound naval shipyard, has one of the highest incidences of asbestos-related cancer. And hundreds of people have been sickened or killed because of asbestos exposure from a former vermiculite mine in Libby, Mont.
“Advancements in the early detection and treatment of this deadly cancer are greatly needed and the mesothelioma medical and research community is well-positioned to achieve this goal,” the senators wrote to the panel’s leaders. “Funding through the Department of Defense appropriations bill is an important demonstration of our nation’s commitment to addressing the tragedy of mesothelioma and its disproportionate impact on those who serve our country.”
Among the 15 senators who signed the letter are Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.).
Hahn said that his foundation is not planning to approach the Pentagon. He said they spoke to the Department of Veterans Affairs because it’s veterans who were exposed to asbestos on ships and, in particular, vis-à-vis shipbuilding, who are affected.
For example, Groton, Conn., one of the Navy’s largest submarine bases, found about 100,000 workers who have been exposed to asbestos, said Hahn. Much of the exposure in the Navy cases happened between World War II and the Vietnam War, when asbestos was used in shipyards and in ships.
It was used primarily for its fire-retardant properties and, at the time, was not thought to be dangerous. In fact, asbestos alone is not dangerous. Only when it is broken up into small particles that can become airborne does it become harmful.
Additionally, asbestos was used heavily for decades in construction, industry and even household appliances.
Exposure to asbestos even in small amounts can cause cancer, said Hahn.
It is estimated that about 3,000 Americans develop mesothelioma each year. The cancer usually develops many years after the exposure. Though the disease can remain latent for decades, it typically kills within two years of the initial diagnosis.
Vaughn Oney, a machinist who worked at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia for 31 years, died of mesothelioma in 2006. A Newport News Circuit Court jury recently awarded $5.55 million to his widow.
The Meso Foundation will hold its three-day annual symposium in Washington, starting on June 26. More than 100 grassroots supporters will be meeting that day with their congressional representatives. At last year’s symposium they met with 120 lawmakers, said Hahn.
The foundation’s hope for more research funds does not only rely on the defense bill. The so-called Ban Asbestos bill, introduced by Murray and passed in the Senate last October, would dole out $10 million a year for the cancer research. The companion to that bill has yet to pass the House.
“For decades the football was stuck in the opposing team’s endzone,” Hahn said. “The ball is finally moving, but we still have 90 yards to go out of 100.”
The Meso Foundation, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., funds about $1 million a year for research worldwide.
Ideally, Hahn said the scientific community would need $29 million a year to make visible progress.
Man’s death linked to asbestos
A retired Royal Navy serviceman died from cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, an inquest heard.
John Butcher, who lived on a boat in St Osyth creek, died of the industrial disease malignant mesothelioma on April 6.
The Chelmsford inquest heard the 84-year-old divorcee had spent his childhood in Canning Town, living near asbestos industries.
When the Second World War was declared he joined the Navy as an apprentice stoker where he served in ship boiler rooms, which the inquest heard were heavily lagged with asbestos.
Eight years ago he began to have difficulty breathing and was later diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.
He was admitted to Clacton District Hospital on March 30 and died one week later at Essex County Hospital in Colchester.
A post-mortem examination confirmed he had died as a result of the rare form of cancer which is caused by exposure to asbestos dust.
Essex coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray, said: "In the light of that evidence I shall record a verdict that he died of the industrial disease of mesothelioma.Worker 'never told of dangers'
A FATHER was exposed to asbestos dust at work for more than 20 years.
But Brian Raw, who worked for ICI, was never given a mask or safety advice.
Details of his exposure to the deadly dust were read to an inquest last week in a statement that Mr Raw had prepared shortly before his death.
He described his work as an engineering apprentice and then a quantity surveyor at ICI sites in Middlesbrough, Avonmouth and Wilmslow.
He said he did not handle asbestos but other workers cut the material and prepared asbestos paste.
"Clouds of dust were given off as they emptied the sacks and also when they cut the pre-formed sections," said Mr Raw, who started working for ICI in 1955.
"When the asbestos paste was applied some of it fell on to the scaffolding or on to the ground and everyone walked through it. It was impossible to avoid the dust given off."
Mr Raw, who was 68 when he died at his home in Beggarmans Lane, Knutsford, said workers did not damp down asbestos dust when sweeping it up.
"I was never supplied with any masks nor given any warnings about the dangers of asbestos dust," he said.
"I wore ordinary clothes and a duffle coat when I was outside."
Mr Raw was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, in February 2006.
He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and responded well.
But in June 2007 he saw his doctor with chest pains and an abnormal heartbeart.
Two months later he underwent further chemotherapy and his condition deteriorated before his death in October.
Mr Raw's widow Hazel, 63, said he spent a good part of his life helping others. He became a Queen's Scout and led a parade at Windsor Castle in front of the Queen.
He was also a founder member of the Cleveland Search and Rescue Team, an organisation that helps the police and Army to save lives and recover bodies.
More than £1,000 - raised following Mr Raw's death - was spent refurbishing the search and rescue headquarters and a room is to be named in his memory.
Assistant deputy coroner Jean Harkin concluded that Mr Raw died of mesothelioma caused by asbestos despite the fact that no fibres were found in his body.
A pathologist explained that the fibres could have been exhaled.
Hearings set on BLM closure of rec area
Off-road enthusiasts who loved to race around 31,000 acres of dirt-bike paradise in the hills southeast of Hollister will have a chance to vent their anger tonight at federal officials who put the area off-limits last week because it is choked with naturally occurring asbestos.
The Bureau of Land Management closed about half the Clear Creek Management Area in the Diablo Range on Friday, after the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report saying asbestos in the area posed a serious cancer risk to those who work, hike, camp, hunt, collect gems and ride dirt bikes. Officials will explain their findings tonight at a meeting at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
"Frankly, we were surprised at how high the levels of asbestos are at Clear Creek," said Jere Johnson, a Superfund project manager for the EPA who worked on the study. "What we found is that there is a lot of asbestos in the soil, and when you disturb the soil it poses a health risk."
Clear Creek contains the largest deposits of asbestos in the United States because of its unique combination of faults and volcanic rock, said Arnold Den, a senior science adviser for the EPA. The mineral was once widely used as a binder in insulation, brake pads, flooring and other products and was popular with manufacturers because it does not burn.
When asbestos dust is inhaled, however, it can have deadly effects. Asbestos particles can cause cancer of the lungs and throat, called mesothelioma, and scarring of the lungs that interferes with breathing.
No studies have been conducted on cancer rates among Clear Creek's dirt-bike riders, Den said. But a 2005 UC Davis study found that people living near naturally occurring asbestos had a significantly higher cancer rate than those who don't.
Hundreds of off-road enthusiasts, hikers and campers flock to Clear Creek on weekends, exploring the 50-square-mile area's old mining roads, rare flora and fauna, and rugged scenery.
Last weekend, BLM workers stationed at the Clear Creek main entrances turned away off-road enthusiasts who had not heard about the closure. The area will be off-limits for at least a few years while the bureau completes its own study.
The dirt bikers were not happy. They said that the type of asbestos found at Clear Creek is not toxic and that the government is denying them access to public land.
"The recreation community is in a state of shock," said Don Amador, a frequent visitor to Clear Creek and Western representative for the Blue Ribbon Coalition, an off-road advocacy group.
"It's unprecedented, as far as public land issues go. We're going to want to fight it, either administratively or in court."
No Clear Creek regulars have become sick because of asbestos exposure, Amador said.
"We're asked our friends and family in the off-road community if they've heard of anyone getting mesothelioma, and we haven't found one case," he said.
Den countered that the government is taking no chances.
"The bottom line is, asbestos is a very potent carcinogen," he said. "We don't want to wait around and count the bodies. We'd rather prevent the bodies in the first place."
Clear Creek meetings
The federal Bureau of Land Management will hold a public meeting tonight to explain the reasons for closing the Clear Creek Management Area. The meeting will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, from 6 to 9 p.m. It will be preceded by an open house from 3 to 5 p.m.
Additional meetings are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. May 19 at Veterans' Memorial Hall, 649 San Benito St., Hollister; and 6 to 8 p.m. May 21 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Room 225, 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose.
The Bureau of Land Management closed about half the Clear Creek Management Area in the Diablo Range on Friday, after the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report saying asbestos in the area posed a serious cancer risk to those who work, hike, camp, hunt, collect gems and ride dirt bikes. Officials will explain their findings tonight at a meeting at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
"Frankly, we were surprised at how high the levels of asbestos are at Clear Creek," said Jere Johnson, a Superfund project manager for the EPA who worked on the study. "What we found is that there is a lot of asbestos in the soil, and when you disturb the soil it poses a health risk."
Clear Creek contains the largest deposits of asbestos in the United States because of its unique combination of faults and volcanic rock, said Arnold Den, a senior science adviser for the EPA. The mineral was once widely used as a binder in insulation, brake pads, flooring and other products and was popular with manufacturers because it does not burn.
When asbestos dust is inhaled, however, it can have deadly effects. Asbestos particles can cause cancer of the lungs and throat, called mesothelioma, and scarring of the lungs that interferes with breathing.
No studies have been conducted on cancer rates among Clear Creek's dirt-bike riders, Den said. But a 2005 UC Davis study found that people living near naturally occurring asbestos had a significantly higher cancer rate than those who don't.
Hundreds of off-road enthusiasts, hikers and campers flock to Clear Creek on weekends, exploring the 50-square-mile area's old mining roads, rare flora and fauna, and rugged scenery.
Last weekend, BLM workers stationed at the Clear Creek main entrances turned away off-road enthusiasts who had not heard about the closure. The area will be off-limits for at least a few years while the bureau completes its own study.
The dirt bikers were not happy. They said that the type of asbestos found at Clear Creek is not toxic and that the government is denying them access to public land.
"The recreation community is in a state of shock," said Don Amador, a frequent visitor to Clear Creek and Western representative for the Blue Ribbon Coalition, an off-road advocacy group.
"It's unprecedented, as far as public land issues go. We're going to want to fight it, either administratively or in court."
No Clear Creek regulars have become sick because of asbestos exposure, Amador said.
"We're asked our friends and family in the off-road community if they've heard of anyone getting mesothelioma, and we haven't found one case," he said.
Den countered that the government is taking no chances.
"The bottom line is, asbestos is a very potent carcinogen," he said. "We don't want to wait around and count the bodies. We'd rather prevent the bodies in the first place."
Clear Creek meetings
The federal Bureau of Land Management will hold a public meeting tonight to explain the reasons for closing the Clear Creek Management Area. The meeting will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, from 6 to 9 p.m. It will be preceded by an open house from 3 to 5 p.m.
Additional meetings are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. May 19 at Veterans' Memorial Hall, 649 San Benito St., Hollister; and 6 to 8 p.m. May 21 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Room 225, 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Nicholas woman files asbestos suit for late husband
A Nicholas County woman has filed an asbestos suit against 50 companies, on behalf of her husband, who died of malignant mesothelioma.
Betty Bailes filed the suit April 15 in Kanawha Circuit Court on behalf of her husband, George Bailes.
According to the suit, George Bailes lived in Nicholas County, but worked in Kanawha County, where he was exposed to asbestos. Due to his exposure, he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, which ultimately resulted in his death.
The suit states the companies knew about the dangers of asbestos but failed to warn their employees or take the proper safety precautions to prevent workers from being exposed to the asbestos.
The suit specifically names Union Carbide Corporation and T.H. Agriculture and Nutrition as defendants.
In the nine-count suit, Betty Bailes seeks compensatory and exemplary damages.
Attorney James M. Barber is representing Bailes. The case will be assigned to a visiting judge.
Betty Bailes filed the suit April 15 in Kanawha Circuit Court on behalf of her husband, George Bailes.
According to the suit, George Bailes lived in Nicholas County, but worked in Kanawha County, where he was exposed to asbestos. Due to his exposure, he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, which ultimately resulted in his death.
The suit states the companies knew about the dangers of asbestos but failed to warn their employees or take the proper safety precautions to prevent workers from being exposed to the asbestos.
The suit specifically names Union Carbide Corporation and T.H. Agriculture and Nutrition as defendants.
In the nine-count suit, Betty Bailes seeks compensatory and exemplary damages.
Attorney James M. Barber is representing Bailes. The case will be assigned to a visiting judge.
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