I have recently come across some information about using this solvent called trichloroethylene recent research has suggested that exposure can make us 6 times more likely of developing Parkinson's disease. At the moment I am looking into a law suite against my former employers if anyone else has worked with this solvent generally used as a degreaser please can you let me know.
Many thanks bb xx
When I was a student I had a job in an electroplating unit in a factory. There was a big degreasing tank in the unit, but I didn’t spend a significant time in proximity to it as far as I can remember, perhaps a couple of weeks when shifted jobs temporarily. That was three quarters filled with trichloroethylene, above the liquid level was a dense cloud. It’s hard to believe, but a workmate with long hair, but short on intellect used to degrease his hair by tipping his head forward into that dense cloud. It worked, too. I’ve no idea what his health has been like since - probably died of liver cancer after doing that. In those days health and safety wasn’t like it is today, which I’m sure is the basis of your claim.
I only did that job for two summers, so I don’t think my exposure could have been significant, though I was exposed to copper and nickel solutions.
My exposure was controlled and in a environment where the fumes we drawn away but I still have pd makes me wonder now this chemical is carcinogenic so anything is possible. They should have banned it as soon as they realised how dangerous banning it 5 years ago maybe too late for some.
BB
I also used trich ( brake cleaner ) over many years in my engineering career, using it to degrease components then blow it all off with an compressed airline, it was the done thing years ago,think they changed the formula years back as it was said to be harmful , how right they were!!
Thanks sky I will update this post so you can see whether or not I have a case against them.
Best wishes BB XX
It might be tricky BB because you would have to show the equipment to draw away the fumes was inefficient or defective, thus causing negligent exposure. Mind you, as TCE is an effective general anaesthetic ( that’s what it was designed for) you would have known about it. Just having PD is not evidence of exposure.
Best of luck.
Mike
I am leaving that up to my legal team at the end of the day it's now a banned substance so that says a lot maybe the measures they put in were not as good as they could have been.
Also depends if there's been any similar cases on legal team is checking with a bunch of barristers who work out the royal Courts of Justice in London to see if there has been any similar cases.
BB x
team, not sure if it helps, but for eight years i used trichloroethane as a cutting agent, used to look at hydrocarbon shows on drilled cuttings at a rig site... i was diagnosed with Parkinsons 3 years ago; it may or may not have contributed very best wishes.
Known also by the trade name Genklene. I have used it occasionally as a de-greasing agent.
Thanks both of you, you never know this information just might help my case a little bit.
I will update as I find out from my lawyer what is happening folks xx
I've been out of the RAF for over 23 years it was banned in the RAF well before that. Even before being banned it's use was restricted.
Only got completely banned worldwide 5 years ago.
My use of it in my work environment was controlled but the end of the day it's a carcinogenic solvent so that's just to me it should have been banned anyway.
I quite agree, Bettyblue, it’s decades that it’s been known to be carcinogenic.
Do you know if there’s any info on the time of development of PD after exposure? There’s probably a few if us wondering that.
No info on that mike just read article that said if exposed to solvent made us 6 times more likely to get pd.
Best wishes BB X
Thanks for that B.B., that’s got me wondering. Trouble is, wondering doesn’t cut any ice in legal terms. I’ll wait to see how you progress
Mike x
Hi BB, is there possibly a list of solvents that could have a look at, because I think most of us have probably used them at some time in our working life, I used many solvents in the boot and shoe industry........I think we could open a can of worms here?
Sheila
Blimey, Sheila the boot and shoe industry uses a whole cocktail of hazardous substances, many of which are toxic to the liver and carcinogenic, but doesn’t include trichloroethyline That certainly is a can of worms!
The most well known occupational disease in that industry is nasal cancer, but no recorded association with Parkinson’s. That doesn’t mean there isn’t one, it just means nobody has ever looked.
Hi Island Mike, thanks for that info, I only worked there for approximately eighteen months in between jobs and getting pregnant, but it is still enough time to be affected by some of the toxins!
I used to hate working there but knew I wouldn't be working there long term having just moved to the area after getting married. I had always worked in an office and there were no vacancies advertised and took this one out of desperation, believe you me it was a shock to the system.
Sheila
Hi Sheila I would be inclined and interested to hear about any research you come up with. I would just Google Parkinson's exposure and the industry you worked in. Let me know how you get on.
Xx
Still waiting to hear from my lawyers regards to this subject thought I would have been told it was a no go by now.
