A cleanup worker stands on a derailed tank car of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, continues, Feb. 15, 2023. The fire that erupted after last month's train derailment in Ohio melted a key part of the tank cars filled with toxic chemicals, so federal officials warned railcar owners Thursday, March 2, 2023, to check their fleets for similar flaws. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Railroad unions report that workers for Norfolk Southern who were present at the derailment and chemical spill site in East Palestine, Ohio, have been falling ill.
Letters from union representatives were sent to officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conway, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, alleging that the Norfolk Southern employees were experiencing symptoms such as migraines and nausea, according to CNBC.
It also went on to claim that the 35 to 40 workers were not equipped with the proper protective gear, including gloves, boots, and coverups.
A group of 12 railroad union representatives met with Buttigieg and Amit Bose, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, to call for improved safety regulations.
"Today's meeting is an opportunity for labor to share what our members are seeing and dealing with day to day," Mike Baldwin, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, said.
Earlier this week, a group of U.S. senators introduced the Railway Safety Act, which looks to retool and introduce new safety protocols, specifically for the transporting of hazardous materials.
As safety on the rails continues to be a topic of concern, The Guardian reported on Friday that leaked audio from 2016 revealed a manager from another rail company, Union Pacific, ordering a subordinate to stop flagging broken bearings on railcars, the type of malfunction that is being blamed for the Norfolk Southern derailment.
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