"I have many colleagues lost by diesel smoke '

They say dozens of colleagues for their 70th his deceased from cancer and suggest that diesel fumes are responsible.

The retired Theo van Wynkoop worked for twenty years as a bus driver at the GVB in Amsterdam. Along with four former colleagues he has formed an action committee. "We have now a list of dozens of bus drivers and mechanics who are deceased from cancer." Of Wynkoop wants the CFP recognizes that he and his colleagues have for years been exposed to a hazardous substance.

Lung cancer

Of Wynkoop is pleased with the report of the Health Council. It shows that for every hundred workers, seven extra die from lung cancer as long as they work their lives in a large quantity of diesel smoke. "I am pleased that we now know how it is. Businesses have to learn from this."

Of Wynkoop and his colleagues were especially early morning exposure to large amounts of diesel smoke. Their buses then stood with their doors open in an enclosed garage. When the cars were started, both the garage and the buses themselves were filled with diesel fumes. "Sometimes I had to go through the blue smoke to find my bus," says Van Wynkoop. "That smoke could then linger hours on the bus."

About five years ago, the former bus driver got the lung disease sarcoidosis. Also according to him, that's due to the work in the diesel fumes.

Giggly

Ans van der Velde said to have been in 2000 at the bell drawn over the issue. She was a social worker in the CFP. "There were a hundred colleagues deceased from cancer. In addition there were many who had other health problems."

She wished there was research in the CFP and other major transport operators to determine the cause. "The management did not agree. It was very giggly about done."

She hopes that the CFP is now still want to acknowledge that working in diesel additional risks of cancer brings. "That would help survivors."

CFP

It says the CFP signals about the harmful effects of diesel fumes take many years very seriously. "Breathing is never good for your health," says a spokesman. "The subsequent appointment of a reason why someone is ill, however, is extremely difficult."

CFP also revealed that in 2013 made ​​by the GGD Amsterdam investigating the fatality rate in the CFP. It showed that CFP staff not dies earlier than workers in other professions. Its experience has not looked separately at specific risk groups such as bus drivers.

Do you want to respond? Or if you have worked for years in the diesel smoke? Mail to bas.de.vries@nos.nl or ben.meindertsma@nos.nl.

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