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April 9th, 2007
A group of ten workers that have been working for years in tunnels under the Capitol complex have been transferred amidst fears over their health. Some of the workers had spent decades working in the utility tunnels, and had become known as tunnel rats. However, the concerns over their health are in relation to the fact that there is asbestos in the tunnels.
The transfer took place after an occupational and environmental health doctor from Michigan, Michael Harbut, provided a detailed report on the danger of exposure to asbestos to the employer of the ten workers. Of the ten workers that were exposed to asbestos in the tunnels, nine of them state that their doctors have confirmed that their lungs show signs of this exposure.
According to reports the workers had been raising the issue of this danger for a number of years. Exposure to asbestos dust and fibers at high levels and over long periods can result in a range of medical problems, such as scarring of the lungs and respiratory problems. It can even lead to a form of cancer known as mesothelioma.
However, the workers have been told that they will be moved to a power plant that is in the middle of asbestos removals, and they are not happy. One stated: "I'm going from one contaminated spot to another."
