July 10, 2010 - The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University hosted a meeting with Health & Human Services Secretary Kathy Sebelius to discuss solutions to challenges faced by BP oil spill workers, Louisiana fishers, community leaders, and local government officials impacted by the BP oil disaster. Secretary Sebelius was joined by HHS officials Dr. James Galloway, health liaison to the National Incident Command, Dr. Eric Broderick, Deputy Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and Louisiana Congressman Joseph Cao.

Secretary Sebelius opened the discussion by reassuring participants that the Department of Health & Human Services is committed to working with President Obama to ensure that physical health, behavior health, and environmental health concerns are addressed and resolved along the Gulf Coast.Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University, moderated the discussion and opened the floor for questions from local fisherfolk, BP oil spill workers, and community leaders.

 Worker Safety and Wage Concerns

Workers and family members are concerned about the safety of the workers.

• At what point will workers be able to wear safety equipment such as respirators?
• Who controls when workers should wear safety equipment?Workers trained by the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University expressed concerns about burning sensations in their eyes and throats. Although they received adequate training, there isn’t a health and safety officer to report to on-site concerning safety issues. Workers fear they are being exposed to toxic chemicals and that there will be health effects 9 to 10 years from now. There are also concerns about workers exposing their children to hazardous materials when they return home.Workers also expressed concerns that the wages being paid isn’t sufficient for the level of hazardous chemicals they are being exposed to.  

Community Leader Addressed Disconnect between BP Officials and Needs of the Community

Reverend Tyronne Edwards of Zion Travelers Cooperative Center in Plaquemines Parish is concerned that BP is still controlling response efforts. BP has set up a medical facility that is fenced off. Wives of the workers are complaining of skin rashes and asthma. When workers see the BP doctors, their response to the workers concerning their complaints is that it isn’t anything serious or it’s a coincidence that a rash has occurred during the time that they have been working. BP is not working with local medical responders to address health concerns of the workers. Why should the workers go to the BP doctors? BP won’t allow the local Plaquemines ambulance to work with them. Currently, there is a disconnect between the needs of the community and what BP is providing.  

• Rev. Edwards would like to see the federal government interact more with the community and oversee and control the daily response efforts of the oil disaster. According to Secretary Sebelius, DHHS is trying to defer to local leaders to find out how many medical workers are needed. DHHS will work with Mayor Landrieu to address these needs.

Mental Health and Economic Concerns from the Community

Tap Bui, health outreach coordinator for the Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation, discussed the stress level of the Vietnamese fisherfolks community. Many are waiting for the Vessels of Opportunity Program to call, so they wait by the phone all day long hoping to get a phone call. This alone addresses the severity of the situation, when Vietnamese fisherfolks are afraid of leaving their phones unattended. One worker has had so much anxiety that he has lost 40 pounds since the oil spill. Although BP has promised to compensate workers $5,000 a month, many workers still have not received a check; some have only received one check since the spill. Some were also called to the Vessels of Opportunity program, but were asked to return home after preparing and hauling their boats to the site. Others reported unfairness in the program, noting that some families with three boats were called while families owning one boat were not. It is important to note that this is the way of life for many Vietnamese fisherfolk  and they have very limited skills and lack job opportunities. It is also important to consider that having a job and working is the number one priority for these folks. They are much less worried about their health and other health concerns, especially when it comes to oil cleanup efforts. Vietnamese fisherfolks are much more anxious waiting on job offers from BP. A wife of a fisherman who is out in oil clean-up efforts stated that she does not know what is in the air. She is very unfamiliar with dispersants and its harms to one’s health.

Byron Encalade, a fisherman and veteran from Pointe-A-La Hache, Louisiana said that the BP’s inefficient process has caused a lot of mental health problems in his community.

• Mr. Encalade suggested that leaders tap into resources of the VA Hospital. Many are suffering from PTSD.

Health and Safety Regulations Not Being Followed

Bruce McClue, a Health and Safety Professional for 25 years and trainer for the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, is concerned that no one is adhering to the OSHA regulations. BP has total control over the training. Workers are being exposed to dispersants and crude oil.  To safely work an oil spill, workers should have 40-hour Hazwoper training and a Marine 8-hour Oil spill Worker Training class according to OSHA Publication 3172.There is no 3rd party Health & Safety Officer overseeing BP’s Health & Safety officer.

• Workers have not seen a Health and Safety plan. If there is a plan in place, if so, who wrote the plan? This health plan should also be provided to the community.
• No one has talked about radiation – radioactive material that workers are being exposed to. Anything that comes out of the ground 5,000 feet below will have natural occurring radioactive materials; however, no one has addressed this issue. Workers are also being exposed to dispersants and crude oil that has Benzene, which is a carcinogen.

 The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice will continue to work with the Department of Health & Human Services, other federal and local government officials, and community leaders to help resolve these critical community concerns.