Benzene's connection to acute myeloid leukemia is one of the most thoroughly established relationships in occupational cancer research. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health all classify benzene as a confirmed human carcinogen, with AML identified across each agency as its primary and most consistent cancer outcome.
Claim ApplicationRailroad workers are exposed to benzene from diesel exhaust, fuel handling, engine maintenance and solvents used for repair work, often inside enclosed locomotive cabs and rail yards where poor ventilation leads to higher vapor concentrations. Once absorbed, benzene travels to the bone marrow, where blood cells are produced, and initiates a progressive pattern of destruction:
A large meta-analysis found a dose-response relationship between cumulative benzene exposure and leukemia risk, with AML being the most strongly and consistently associated. A cohort study of over 73,000 benzene-exposed workers found significantly increased incidence of AML and myelodysplastic syndrome in heavily exposed groups.
The landmark Pliofilm cohort, used as a basis for EPA regulatory risk assessments, found workers in high benzene exposure categories carried significantly elevated AML mortality with a clear exposure-response pattern.
Railroad work creates the conditions for cumulative benzene exposure that occupational studies consistently tie to AML risk. Whether exposure occurred through decades of diesel contact or repeated solvent use, that history is legally relevant under FELA. ELG Law has 35 years of experience establishing the occupational record these claims require. Contact us today to have your case reviewed for free.