Uranium is a heavy metal found in most rocks that offers concentrated energy for nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors. While most companies are moving toward safer, more eco-friendly options today, we still use uranium in a number of applications. Employees who work in uranium mines, nuclear power plants, or items powered by a nuclear reactor are susceptible to numerous health concerns. If you come down with an illness as a result of working with uranium, you deserve compensation. Learn more about the health risks of uranium and workers benefits. 

Health Risks of Uranium

Uranium should not be consumed or inhaled by humans. If consumed, workers can come down with lung cancer or liver cancer. It can also damage the kidneys if your organs are forced to process the material.

You can also experience skin irritation or eye irritation if you allow the material to get on your skin or eyes.

Protecting Yourself Against Uranium Illness

You can protect yourself by wearing the proper personal protection equipment (PPE). Since uranium can infiltrate so many different parts of your body, you should wear full protection, including gloves, goggles, and masks. 

In the beginning, employers weren't aware of the dangers of uranium, at least not to the level we are today. Therefore, many employees didn't have the safety information and gear that they needed. 

Employers have a responsibility to provide safety training and PPE, while employees have a responsibility to wear PPE properly and report problems with PPE. If you experienced OSHA violations, you may want to talk to a lawyer. 

Uranium Workers Benefits

The government acknowledges that working with uranium is dangerous and wants to properly compensate workers who came down with illness as a result of their exposure to uranium. 

The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act is a program that offers employees with uranium exposure a large-sum compensation if they come down with a serious illness. In most cases, settlements come to $150,000 - $275,000, depending on the severity of the injury and the extent of the uranium exposure.

The program is designed to make it easy for anyone who worked in certain positions around uranium to cover medical expenses. 

If you got lung cancer or another illness as a result of uranium exposure, you deserve compensation for your work. In order to receive compensation, you'll need to file your claim and explain your case. Talk to a lawyer to learn if your case qualifies for uranium workers benefits.

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