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Maritime Workers at Risk of Harmful Benzene Exposure

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Maritime workers face all kinds of dangers on a regular basis, including exposure to harmful chemicals. According to a recent article by Dr. Alan Schneider, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Operating and Environmental Standards, posted in Proceedings magazine, benzene is a dangerous chemical that can often be found in cargo. If you are a maritime worker, you could be at risk of developing a serious, life-threatening condition from benzene exposure.

How Benzene Exposure Occurs
The article titled, “Benzene: The Chemical with a License to Kill,” states that “benzene vapor may be released during normal cargo venting and transfer operations and during tank cleaning. Because it is heavier than air, the vapor can accumulate on the deck, possibly in concentrations high enough to be damaging or even fatal.”

Benzene is considered to be a flammable liquid and it has been used to make chemicals that go into plastics, rubber, nylon, dyes, drugs, synthetic fibers, pesticides and detergents. It is also used as a solvent in varnishes and paints.

How Dangerous is Benzene?
According to the article in Proceedings, benzene increases the risk of explosion. Benzene exposure has been linked to leukemia, as it is a known carcinogen. Benzene can negatively impact the lungs, bone marrow, blood, liver, kidneys and central nervous system. If benzene is ingested, it can lead to nausea, vomiting, dizziness and loss of consciousness.

If you work in the maritime industry and believe that you may have been injured from benzene exposure, you need to contact a Houston maritime attorney immediately. There are laws that protect maritime workers, including the Jones Act and General Maritime Law, which allow for compensation to be recovered.

Contact Maritime Lawyer Steve Lee today at 713-921-4171 or 800-232-3711 for more information and advice regarding your maritime injury case. He will be able to explain your legal rights.