Gulf Clean-up Workers' Health Concerns

(CBS)  It's been six weeks since the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and now workers who are cleaning up the beaches are beginning to fall ill.

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton reported from Venice, La. Monday on the adverse health effects the clean-up could be having.

Ashton says clean-up workers should be wearing certain gear, such as heavy duty rubber gloves, sleeves that cover the lower arm, a mask, and protective goggles.

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But many did not get that warning soon enough.

Ashton spoke with George Jackson, who has made his living for the past 35 years crabbing in Gulf waters. But for now, Jackson has been relegated to cleaning up the oil that has ruined his season.

Two weeks ago, Jackson says, he began to experience severe headaches after an encounter with what he believes was a toxic dispersant. Jackson says he was wearing regular clothes with no protective goggles, gloves, or mask.

But Jackson isn't the only one. At the beginning of the clean-up, many workers wore little or no protective gear. On May 27, seven were rushed to a Jefferson Parish emergency room.

Alan Levine, Louisiana's Health Secretary, told CBS News there have been 75 people so far reporting spill-related symptoms, mostly flu-like respiratory woes. But Levine believes it will continue to get worse.

"I think that number is going to increase pretty dramatically," said Levine. "We're still at the very beginning of this. Keep in mind that this is going to go on for months and months."

There is nothing to worry about for regular beach-goers; there is currently no airborne danger, Ashton says.

But direct contact is a different story. Officials say only those trained in clean-up with the right equipment should handle tarballs.

Jackson agrees, having had firsthand experience: He's back at work, but now wears protective gear.

"I want people to know what's out there, I want people to be safe, I don't want anybody to get hurt," Jackson says..

At this point, no worker who has worn hazard-gear has reported getting sick, Ashton noted.

[heavyduty350]

The only reason that the anger of this oil spill is rising is because of poor reporting of the disaster in the gulf. The media is responsible for the vast majority of inaccurate information being broadcast to the people. The media should be held accountable for its mistakes just like other industries. Don't let them get away with an apology like they have so many times before.
All of the one-sided reporting is hurting America more than the oil spill could ever do. By putting stories all the birds and fish being harmed by the oil spill. Well let's consider all the birds killed or hurt by planes, trains, cars, and trucks just to name a few. But you never hear about them now do you. How about all the fish, seal, whales, or marine life killed by boats, jet skies, big ships, dredging boats cleaning out the Mississippi.
This is just another accident, I wish that they would spend a lot more time researching before they start reporting. Then report on the story with both sides of the story not just a one sided report.
So I fault the media with causing just as much damage that BP could ever do. Accident's happen, that's life. So if we are going to run the rigs out of the gulf, then why stop there. Let's just shut down all the drilling, and shut down all the oil wells in and LET'S ALL JUST GO GREEN!!!
You know why that will never happen? Because then the media wouldn't be able to manipulate the country by one-sided reporting.
BUT JUST REMEMBER ONE THING!!! WHEN THE RIGS ARE GONE, REMEMBER WHEN OUR OIL WAS CUT OFF BY THOSE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE 1970'S.

[heavyduty350]

Unfortunately it's people like you that ruin America, not the oil and gas industry. Evidently the new media thinks that it can run the country better than government. You send someone to the gulf to report on oil spill. He wouldn't know an oil spill if it was to sneak up and bite him where the sun doesn't shine.
Then to top it all off, all you will do is succeed in driving up oil prices, or drive the rigs out of the gulf. That's fine with me, I live in Texas and I can probably get all that I will need? Can you say the same?
Evidently you people have forgotten Iran when they cut our oil off!!! We were not hit as hard as you in the North!!! I know it get's really cold up there in the winter time.
Now make the choice, do you want a job or heat?
Have a nice day and keep your mouths and opinions to yourself please.

[daleaberg]

For your consideration:
1)Top kill the well, now(very low risk, high prob of success)
The LMRP, additional securing added, and 5000' of above riser pipe will provide much needed back pressure.
Sorry, collected oil going to ship will be filthy muddy.

2)Pay freelance workers $5 per net pound(or $40/gal) of oil collected
Cost: 50 days x 10,000 bpd x 42 gal/bb x 7.5lb/gal x $5 = $750,000,000
Set up oil "buyback stations" on beaches and boats.
Provide all freelance collectors needed collection media at buyback stations.
Require 1/2-mask respirators,skin and eye protection and safety training.
We need? 100,000 or 200,000 incentive-driven, safe, freelance workers collecting oil.
Current ?business model? is low-paid, by the hour/day collection workers, managed by employment agencies, hired by BP. This does not promote effectiveness of entire workforce; ?thank you? to all workers who are dedicated and productive.

Please comment, refine, pass it on.
All senators, rep's, gov's and president have ?contact? e-mail options for suggestions.
Thank you,
Dale Berg PE-WA40465

[mmsavage1]

The crude oil is toxic!! Workers cleaning the oily Gulf beaches need to know the danger. Don't become BP's Collateral Damaged, like Exxon?s Collateral Damaged.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/exxon-valdez-oil-risks-spur-warning-for-gulf-cleanup-crews-93258964.html
http://www.propublica.org/ion/blog/item/former-valdez-cleanup-worker-warns-of-toxic-dangers-in-the-gulf

My name is Merle Savage, a female general foreman during the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) beach cleanup in 1989. I am one of the 11,000+ cleanup workers from the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS), who is suffering from health issues from that toxic cleanup, without compensation from Exxon.

Dr. Riki Ott visited me in 2007 to explain about the toxic spraying on the beaches. She also informed me that Exxon's medical records and the reports that surfaced in litigation by sick workers in 1994, had been sealed from the public, making it impossible to hold Exxon responsible for their actions.
http://www.rikiott.com

Exxon developed the toxic spraying; OSHA, the Coast Guard, and the state of Alaska authorized the procedure. Beach crews breathed in crude oil that splashed off the rocks and into the air -- the toxic exposure turned into chronic breathing conditions and central nervous system problems, neurological impairment, chronic respiratory disease, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, liver damage, and blood disease.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5632208859935499100

My web site is devoted to searching for EVOS cleanup workers who were exposed to the toxic spraying, and are suffering from the same illnesses that I have. There is an on going Longshoreman?s claim for workers with medical problems from the oil cleanup. Our summer employment turned into a death sentence for many -- and a life of unending medical conditions for the rest of Exxon?s Collateral Damaged.
http://www.silenceinthesound.com/stories.shtml

[heavyduty350]

I don't know what you did wrong, and I really do wish you the best. But as a oil worker for over 15 years straight. I breathed the same fumes you did, only time we ever used oxygen masks was when we encountered H2S gas. We only time we had breathing problems was when working with chemicals, oxygen inhibitors, caustic soda, and other deadly chemicals. Evidently you were less concerned with safety than getting a paycheck just like I did.
I have health issues as well but I contribute them to the fact that I am over sixty now, and I like a lot of other people didn't take my health seriously until I started having problems.
I hope and pray that you find the help you need for your illness. But don't blame the oil industry. I am not saying that it didn't cause them. But it was probably the lack of taking proper precautions that caused them.