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Welding suit begins; men claim fumes caused illness Wednesday, November 01, 2006 Mike Tobin Plain Dealer Reporter

The second lawsuit in six months against welding-rod makers began on Tuesday in federal court in Cleveland with lawyers again arguing over who is to blame for neurological problems suffered by welders. In a lawsuit that is being watched closely by the welding industry, two South Carolina men sued five companies, including Euclid-based Lincoln Electric Holdings, claiming the fumes released by welding rods the businesses manufactured caused the men to get sick. About 3,800 similar cases from across the country were consolidated in U.S. District Court in Cleveland. Judge Kathleen O'Malley presided over the first case, and the second is also in her court.

Welding suit begins; men claim fumes caused illness

So, I've been a metalworker for over 25 years. Included within this time was a 7 year stint welding in the nuclear industry. Heck, there were times I welded inside of tunnels that were 100 feet or so underground and you could not stand up straight because the concrete walls had a three foot clearance. These were the pipe tunnels, and I was with a group of welders called "the tunnel rats." There was always a smell of burnt rod in the tunnels. I would go home with the smell of welding rods impregnated in my clothes. The tunnel job lasted for 9 straight months. Oh yea, there were some exhaust fans, but I know they couldn't have been enough. But I didn't complain cause all the other welders seemed fine with it.

Now would my situation be considered negligence on my part? Was there actually enough ventilation provided? Were the warnings given by the welding rod manufacturers sufficient? Should I be concerned that I too will get Parkinsons or manganism - a neurological disorder with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease in the future? This lawsuit is bringing up some interesting discussions. What kind of welding experience have you had? Are you sick, or feel that just maybe, all those welding fumes are going to have an effect on your health?

Who's responsibility is it anyway to be alerted to possible health hazards used in welding?

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