News and Knowledge

Volkswagen ordered to pay damages of $5.75 million in Mesothelioma case

During the years 1972-75, whilst working at Spokane Volkswagen dealership as an auto mechanic, Mr. Sorrentino, developed malignant mesothelioma which is a rare and fatal asbestos-related disease.   Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually starts in the layers of tissue that cover each lung (the pleura) – this is called pleural mesothelioma. More rarely it can start…

Signs you have a damaged skin barrier, with solutions

The skin is the largest external organ of the human body, which is covered by hair, nails, nerves and glands.   The vital organ acts as a barrier between the inside and outside environment. A damaged skin barrier would lead to implications to your overall health, so it is crucial that a damaged skin barrier…

Hearing loss caused by headphones and loud venues  

One Billion children at risk of hearing loss     Valley Children’s Healthcare has seen an increase in the number of hearing loss in children. Research suggests more than one billion teenagers and children are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practises.   Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is 30…

Hearing loss simulator and harmful levels of sound exposure

Everyday, we will experience exposure to different sounds depending on the environment we find ourselves in. Such examples can be from the television, when you are driving or when walking in the park.   These type of sounds that we hear everyday are considered safe levels that don’t cause any long term damage to our…

CDC lung disease analysis

CDC findings dig into the risks of workers in certain industries developing COPD.   You might be familiar with ‘Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’ (CDC) from movies and TV shows such as The Walking Dead, or more recently The Last of Us. Zombies and mushroom monsters aside, the real-world CDC has been hard at…

R5 Billion settlement in Gold Miners’ Silicosis Case

A High Court in Johannesburg has approved an R5 billion settlement in the ongoing Silicosis case   The agreement affects workers who contracted Silicosis, a long-term lung disease, during or after their employment in gold mines from 1965. In May, lawyers representing the miners joined forces with mining groups in a bid to get the Court…

The rise of women with Mesothelioma

Latest figures from Cancer Research UK show that, while men account for most cases of Mesothelioma, cases among women rose by 93 per cent between 1993 and 2018 (compared with 47 per cent in men).   Dean Fennell, professor of thoracic medical oncology at the University of Leicester, says, “The proportion of women being diagnosed…

Countertop cutters diagnosed with Silicosis in Los Angeles

30 stone fabricators have been diagnosed with Silicosis since January 2016 in LA.   Making a living cutting and grinding engineered-stone countertops lead to Juan Gozalez Morin and Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, ages 36 and 32, being diagnosed with Silicosis.     The pair were among 30 countertop fabricators to be diagnosed with the deadly disease.…

Death of two nurses from COVID-19 ruled as Industrial Disease

Two nurses, Gareth Robert 65 of Aberdare and Dominga David 63 of Penarth both contracted COVID-19 whilst employed by the University Hospital of Wales and Llandough Hospital in the early days of the pandemic.   This infection eventually resulted in their deaths, being registered as natural causes at the time. However, senior coroner Graeme Hughes…

HSE worried about increasing reports of HAVS in 2021

A report release in November 2022 by the HSE has shown a dramatic increase in the number of new Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) cases in 2021.   To be particular, there were 300 new cases of HAVS reported in addition to 165 new Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and 255 new cases of Depuytrens Contracture. These…