Tuesday, April 02, 2013

CUT DOWN BY MANGANESE



International steel magnate Samancor is charged with putting profits before workers' rights. Former employees at their Johannesburg, South Africa plant are dying from manganese poisoning.

There is growing concern that many workers at Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Maine are exposed to manganese poisoning as they cut steel to make Navy destroyers.  The dust created is inhaled and over time destroys the person.

There are stories that many workers have been developing symptoms similar to those in this video but when they went to the doctors provided by BIW they were asked if they "wanted to hurt the company." The warning is clear - proceed at the risk of your job.

Whether one is in South Africa, Maine, or other places (Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi) where steel is processed it is clear that the profit motive trumps everything.

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