Sign a petition to urge action on silica exposure!

Eighteen years ago, as a single parent struggling to make ends meet, Alan White landed a job at a foundry in Buffalo, New York. The pay was great. He thought he was set. Three years ago, he went to a doctor and after a series of tests was told that he will die from exposure to silica in his workplace.

“I was ready and willing to give all to my work. But I never realized that that included my life,” Alan noted in testimony in front of a Senate committee. “At work we focus on safety, but the company focuses on obvious safety hazards. They tell us to be careful of slips and trips and mind the heat. They tell us to lift properly and be careful of traffic in the plant. But, they did not tell us of the unseen dangers. They never told me about silica and the health effects that breathing it can cause.”

Today, this Steelworker is still making ends meet at the foundry, but he took a significant pay cut in order to work in an area where there is less silica exposure. He hopes it will let him work for a few more years. As a new grandfather, Alan knows he will not be able to run with his grandchild like he had hoped. Even simple tasks like walking and talking on a cell phone are difficult. The outlook is downhill from here.

Alan is one of thousands of Steelworkers and 1.7 million U.S. workers who are exposed to silica dust each year.  All run the risk of developing silicosis, lung cancer and other debilitating diseases. It does not have to be this way. A proposed workplace standard on silica dust exposure from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been delayed for nearly two years as the Office of Management and Budget reviews the proposed standard. Please help spur action on controlling this deadly workplace hazard by signing a White House petition urging the Obama Administration to move forward with the silica dust standard.

Take three minutes to sign the White House petition! Get started by clicking HERE.*

We need to reach 25,000 signatures by February 11. Please forward this message widely!

*The White House site requires you to register, but you only have to do it once and then you can sign any future petitions. The process takes a few minutes, but the impact can last a lifetime.