Bush wants his 9/11 money back!!! - Democratic Underground

Bluebear

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Thu Jun-02-05 04:18 PM
Original message

Bush wants his 9/11 money back!!!

Edited on Thu Jun-02-05 04:25 PM by Bluebear

WASHINGTON - New York has yet to spend $125 million for workers injured in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and their aftermath. Tired of waiting, the federal government wants the money back.

New York lawmakers are trying to hold on to the funds ahead of a House committee meeting next week to consider reclaiming the money as the Bush administration has proposed for the budget year that begins Oct. 1.

Twenty-one lawmakers from the state, including Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer, want the White House to redirect the money toward health programs for ground zero workers affected with long-term lung problems that might not appear for years.

So far, the administration has resisted.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050602/ap_on_re_us/sept_11_workers_comp_9

World Trade Center Catastrophe Worker Health Fact Sheet

RECOVERY AND CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS ARE HAZARDOUS. Many of the workers involved in the World Trade Center recovery and cleanup operation have received safety and health training, but many other workers will be facing hazards that are unfamiliar, with the potential to cause serious illness, injury or death. The site is in a constant state of flux, with the result that new hazards can suddenly emerge. Workers and managers need to understand the existing hazards and how to minimize them as well as being alert to the possible development of new hazards.

This factsheet is for workers who are engaged in recovery efforts, as well as for those involved in the restoration of essential services and cleanup operations. All this work involves potentially unsafe conditions and exposures to hazardous materials.

ALL OF THE HAZARDS LISTED BELOW are likely to be encountered during World Trade Center recovery and cleanup operations. Anyone working at or near ground zero is more likely to encounter these hazards than someone involved in cleanup operations several blocks away, but at any location, dust and ash from the World Trade Center pose a potential health hazard.

DUST AND FUMES: Contaminated air poses health risks that depend on the nature and concentration of the contaminants and upon the physical condition of the exposed worker. Workers with any history of chronic conditions of the lungs or heart are at greater risk of adverse health effects from contaminated air.

Contaminants in the air, including toxic dust and chemicals, can cause serious illness or death. Dust and ash anywhere in the vicinity of the World Trade Center site is likely to contain asbestos, cement, drywall and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) combustion products.

CEMENT DUST AND DRYWALL DUST usually contain crystalline silica. Inhalation of silica dust can cause silicosis or other potentially fatal lung diseases. Cement dust can be irritating and can cause or worsen asthma and chronic bronchitis.

AIRBORNE PARTICLES OF BURNED PLASTIC, INCLUDING POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) or other plastics from insulation, conduit, furniture, etc., may cause respiratory irritation and provoke or worsen asthma and chronic bronchitis.

ASBESTOS was a major material used in the construction of the World Trade Center. That asbestos is a constituent of the dust and debris. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in serious or fatal diseases, including cancer. Although there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure, higher levels of exposure result in greater risk of disease.

OTHER DUSTS may cause asthma or bronchitis or other respiratory problems, such as difficulty breathing. Any dust can cause eye irritation. Some dusts can cause allergic skin reactions. If dusty work clothes are worn off the job, they can contaminate vehicles and residences.

HAZARDOUS GASES: Another concern in the World Trade Center area is the possible build-up of toxic or explosive gases from ruptured gas lines or stored chemicals. Of most concern is the presence of such gases in confined or restricted spaces.

FLAMMABLES OR EXPLOSIVES may be released from ruptured gas lines and storage containers.

CARBON MONOXIDE, a colorless, odorless gas, may be present as a byproduct of combustion (fire). Inhalation of carbon monoxide can cause a wide range of health effects, from loss of judgment to death by asphyxiation.

OXYGEN DEFICIENCY: There may not be enough oxygen present in the air to support breathing. This can result from other gases (such as carbon monoxide) replacing oxygen. Oxygen can also be used up during combustion.

Exposure to other gases can cause eye, nose, throat or lung irritation. Workers who enter confined spaces are at highest risk for these hazards.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: Workers who are exposed to infected blood or other bodily fluids can become infected. For infection to take place, infected blood or body fluids must enter a workers body through the eyes, nose or mouth or through a break in the skin, such as a cut or abrasion.

UNSANITARY CONDITIONS: Workers skin and clothing may be exposed to a wide variety of toxic materials and disease organisms. Care should be taken to protect food, beverage containers and smoking materials from contamination.

http://immuneweb.org/911/#nycosh