Railroads can do harm to workers

A four-part series that ran in the Louisville, KY Courier-Journal uncovered a growing epidemic of cases of toxic encephalopathy among railroad workers. The report found that over 600 workers displayed the symptoms of degenerative brain disease. But because of the difficulty to diagnose, its similarities to other diseases like Alzheimer’s, and its relatively unknown profile even in the medical community, it is feared that thousands more have developed it over the years.

Toxic encephalopathy, caused by solvents and other chemicals, slows or blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. Over prolonged exposure, this can change the way the brain functions, which leads to confusion, loss of short-term memory, depression, a fast temper, and paranoia, among other afflictions. Eventually it can lead to coma and death.

For railroaders , the culprit was usually one of three solvents including trichloroethylene (TCE), used to degrease and clean locomotives and their components. The effects of TCE on workers have been documented since the early 1960s and perhaps before. One medical report urged railroad companies to switch to other types of degreasers, if simply for the fact that the companies would save money in future lawsuits by purchasing the more expensive alternatives then. Despite this warning and the knowledge of the dangers of TCE exposure to its workers, railroad companies continued to use the solvents well into the 1980s. One company, CSX, used TCE and other now-banned solvents into the 1990s.

CSX is the focus of the Courier-Journal series mainly because the story started as an investigation into the ground soil tests at an abandoned rail yard owned by the Louisville & Nashville (L&N) line, since bought by the group that became CSX. As of the publication date, CSX had spent $16 million defending itself in court, and ultimately paid over $35 million in compensation to 466 workers. Despite the settlements, CSX still fights in court claiming that toxic encephalopathy has no scientific grounding.

Many respected medical doctors, research scientists, and other health professionals beg to differ. In fact there are dozens of studies on the effects of solvents on workers in several different industries including house painters, factory workers, and now railroaders. Thanks to the Courier-Journal report, even more studies have been completed or are underway.

If you or a loved one displays any signs of dementia and/or personality changes as described above, talk to your doctor about the possibility of toxic encephalopathy. It is still not extremely well known, so a second or even third opinion may be necessary.