18 Southern California Welders file Mass Tort Lawsuit

By Laura Segnit

Published on August 01, 2005

They filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against more than 55 defendants, including Airco, Inc., Caterpillar, Inc., and General Electric Company.

The defendants consist of large industrial consumers of welding rod products, manufacturers and sellers of welding products, and members of such leading trade organizations as the American Welding Society and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

The use of welding equipment leads to the emission of fumes that contain manganese, a substance that has proven toxic to the human central nervous system. Excessive levels of manganese in the body can lead to Manganism, a condition similar to Parkinson's Disease.

The plaintiffs claim that the defendants withheld information about the health dangers of exposure to welding rod fumes.

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