Another Transit Worker Dies on the job, Following Asthma Attack -- Local 100 E-Mails I Receive

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Subject:

Another Transit Worker Dies on the job, Following Asthma Attack

Author:
Fired Shop Steward, Brian Wilkinson

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Date Posted: 01:16:27 01/24/06 Tue

SHIRLYN STATON, A TRANSIT WORKER WHO CROSSED PICKET LINES DEC.22 TO RETURN TO WORK, DIED THAT MORNING AS SHE CLEANED A BROOKLYN SUBWAY STATION. ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS CARDIAC ARREST BROUGHT ON BY AN ASTHMA ATTACK. Ms. STATON, AN 11-YEAR VETERAN, WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONAL BEFORE BEING TRANSPORTED TO LONG ISLAND HOSPITAL, WHERE SHE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT 9:37 A.M. THIS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY NEWYORK CITY TRANSIT. A UNION SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT UNION SAID I CAN NOT SPEAK ON THE INCIDENT OUT OF DEFERENCE TO THE FAMILY, BUT CONFIRMED THAT INVESTIGATIONS FROM THE STATE'S PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICE WERE LOOKING INTO THE INCIDENT. OTHER UNION SOURCES, SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, CONFIRMED Ms STATON HAD A HISTORY OF BREATHING PROBLEMS, BUT NOTHING THAT INDICATED SHE WOULD EXPERIENCE SUCH A SEVERE ASTHMA ATTACK. SHE REPORTEDLY ENTERED A BATHROOM THAT WAS BEING CLEANED BY ANOTHER WORKER AT THE HOYT AND SCHERMERHORN ST STATION AROUND 7:55 A.M. AND IMMEDIATELY THE HEAVY CEMICALS THAT WAS BEING USED IN THE CLEANING OF THE BATHROOM PUT HER INTO RESPIRATORY DISTRESS. THE BATHROOM HAD NO WINDOWS OR VENTILATION OF ANY KIND. THE POLICE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BUT THERE WAS APPARENTLY A DELAY IN MOVING Ms. STATON, WHO WAS SIGNIFFFICANTLY OVERWEIGHT, OUT OF THE UNDERGROUND STATION ONCE EMS ARRIVED. HER ROOMMATE, NORMA GOGGINS MACK, TOLD THE DAILY NEWS THAT Ms. STATON, 43, HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK BECAUSE SHE HAD NO OTHER WAY TO PAY HER BILLS. SHE COULD NOT GET DISABILITY FOR HER ILLNESS. "SHE WAS A DEDICATED WORKER," Ms. MACK SAID. SHE LOVED HER JOB. I WORKED WITH Ms. STATON A NUMBER OF TIMES, SHE WAS A NICE PERSON. AND SHE WILL BE MISSED. AND LETS REMEMBER ALL OF THE TRANSIT WORKERS THAT WE LOST IN THE LINE OF DUTY. THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. YOU CAN BET THERE IS GOING TO BE A BIG LAW SUIT AGAINST THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY.

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