The human face of "another outrage"

Recently we posted on the risks encountered by workers working in the tunnels beneath the nation's capitol. You heard it from me. Now you can hear it and see it from the workers themselves on this video. You will also see pictures of the tunnels and the conditions there and hear about their lack of protection despite the fact the danger was known to the Architect of the Capitol.

The streaming video is 15 minutes long, part of a new program by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), dedicated to serving as the voice of asbestos victims. Every minute has a new outrage on it, delivered in a matter of fact and dispassionate manner by one of the workers with scarring in his lungs.

Here's the video

More like this

Sounds like government at its finest.......doesn't surprise me one bit. It is truly sad for those workers and their families.

just plain depressing

The richest country in the world and we need to exploit workers. My call goes to my Senators and Rep this week.

John is dedicated to his calling, that's excellent, gutsy, and wonderful to see although the situation is dire.
Funny when he said, "I don't like some of them (Congress and Senators), but that's their problem".
He tried to resolve the situation through the proper channels and government officials wouldn't listen, so now he goes into action.

What is as alarming as the workers dilemma, is the fact that the asbestos is being blown out into the streets through the grates. What the?

It should not be a long road to resolve this situation, it should only take one wave of the government's wand.

I rank this one right on up there with the outrages against the military. Anthrax, flu, etc. shots that are untested are given to the military all the time and without any sort of real testing. In fact, they can order you to take a vaccine (remember swine flu?) and force you to be guinea pigs. Same with the LSD experiments in the 60's, and Agent Orange (Dioxin). Okay, so once caught you get to sue as these guys will, but it never makes it right. The military has pretty much backed off from their little adventures in the last few years but there is no way that the Architect of the C. didnt know. They have gotten into contracting out the liability. The contract if you are in contact with the contractors likey as all government specified contracts covers asbestos has not been followed. But it would be by the contractor and not the USGOVT. Their contract administrators if they were notified would go out and check it and demand that they have the equipment required or terminate the contract, but alas it had not and hasnt here.

The contract is a matter of public record. Maybe Melanie could request it under a FOIA since she is local to the area and dissect it for us? If the contractor violated the contract and there was no supervision of the contract by the Feds, then the Feds booty's are going to get a little torn up. It wont do a damned thing for the contractors though except just give them money. By the time they get the money, I would speculate that the plaintiffs families will be collecting and not the plaintiffs.

Crying ass shame.

By M. Randolph Kruger (not verified) on 20 Apr 2007 #permalink

(Thought he said, they don't like it that he has access to them)

A few years ago, he had the lungs of an "118 year old".

Which is worse; China's lack of environmental, or worker, or food safety,
or the US's lack of environmental, or worker, or food safety??

Both are too much, but our public expected better.
They better wake up; I think it is already too late.

By crfullmoon (not verified) on 21 Apr 2007 #permalink

I'm just floored by that video. These are the federal employees who ensure the comfort of Congressmen and Senators. The tunnels are so bad the police won't patrol them and the fire department says it will only go in for body recovery.