Why are gas station attendants at elevated risk for leukemia? Individuals who worked as gas station attendants prior to the 1990's may have been exposed to dangerous levels of benzene. Benzene exposures can sicken workers decades after the actual exposures. As a result of their benzene exposures, gas station attendants are at an elevated risk for leukemia, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Benzene is a colorless chemical that is found in gasoline and diesel fuel. Today’s gas pumps have vapor recovery systems to reduce benzene vapors. But most pumps did not have those systems until the 1990s. Many mechanics have also spent many hours a week pumping gas. Full-service gasoline islands are not common today. Most gasoline was dispensed by attendants prior to 1990. Oregon and New Jersey still require gasoline to be pumped by attendants and not customers.
In addition, the benzene content in gasoline was much higher when attendants were pumping gas. The benzene content could be as high as 5% prior to enactment of EPA regulations in 2012. Today, the benzene content in gasoline averages 1%. 1% may not sound like much. Keep in mind that equates to 10,000 parts per million. Companies are required to warn consumers about benzene when those products contain 1,000 parts per million. You can see how gas stations attendants are diagnosed with leukemia more than most others.
Gas station attendants diagnosed with AML or MDS have successfully brought lawsuits against the refiners and distributors of gasoline and diesel fuel. Why is that? The companies that manufactured and sold these products were aware of the dangers of benzene before they began to reduce the concentration of benzene in the products.
If you worked as a gas station attendant and have developed a blood or bone marrow cancer, please contact an experienced benzene lawyer at 1-800-BENZENE.
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Survey of Benzene
Hughes Law Offices is providing case histories to inform visitors about actual case fact patterns and rulings.Helper/rigger/leadman on barges diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia via benzene exposure. Plaintiff exposed to benzene via solvents used to clean tools. Employer provided the solvents. Older versions of Liquid Wrench contained high mixtures of benzene.
Gasoline tanker truck driver diagnosed with blood cancer following years of benzene exposure at defendant’s premises. Benzene was component of the fuel that he was loading and hauling.
Plaintiff had a 39-year career with Sabine Towing. Throughout his career, plaintiff held various positions, including seaman, quartermaster, boatswain, third mate, second mate, chief mate and master..
Able-bodied seaman diagnosed with kidney cancer as a result of exposure to benzene and other hydrocarbons while loading and discharging crude oil and other products, cleaning tanks and measuring tank levels.
In his 30s at the time, decedent was a contracted tanker truck driver who regularly transported toxic products. As a result, he was regularly exposed to chemicals containing benzene.
Plaintiff’s decedent had worked as a pump man aboard various tankers in the early 1970s and early 1980s where he was exposed to benzene. In 1994, about 15 years since his last exposure to benzene, the decedent was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).
