Union rep: Employees reporting illness after working on cleanup for East Palestine derailment

Workers that aided in the cleanup of the train derailment in Ohio have experienced lingering migraines and nausea, according to a union representative for workers that build and maintain railways for Norfolk Southern.

Jonathan Long, a union representative for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a Wednesday letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) that around 40 workers were ordered by Norfolk Southern, which owns the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, last month, to clean up the wreckage.

Long said he had received reports that the workers were not given proper personal protection equipment to help clean up the wreckage, not being offered respirators, eye protection and protective clothing.

He also said many employees “reported that they continue to experience migraines and nausea, days after the derailment, and they all suspect that they were willingly exposed to these chemicals at the direction of [Norfolk Southern].”

Norfolk Southern in a statement challenged the claim that proper personal protective equipment was not used at the scene.

“In East Palestine, Norfolk Southern was on-scene immediately after the derailment and coordinated our response with hazardous material professionals who were on site continuously to ensure the work area was safe to enter and the required PPE was utilized, all in addition to air monitoring that was established within an hour,” the company said in a statement to The Hill.

The derailment of the train in East Palestine, which was carrying hazardous materials, has raised concerns about potential environmental and health hazards. Area residents were briefly ordered to evacuate after the crash before being cleared to return to their homes days later. Some have since reported experiencing unusual symptoms such as rashes and burning sensations when they breathe.

The incident has also sparked a political hailstorm both in the state and nationally. The Biden administration, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in particular, has faced tough scrutiny for its reaction to the derailment.

Norfolk Southern has also been met with criticism, including for dropping out of a town hall event in the village in mid-February, citing concerns for employee safety.