1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,720
Chromium-6 in
the tROM re-integration project in Tilburg:

2
00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,080
working conditions
and responsibilities.

3
00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:09,720
To improve their employment prospects,

4
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:14,560
between 2004 and 2012
about 800 Tilburg locals had to participate

5
00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,360
in the tROM re-integration project.

6
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,520
Among other things,
that involved restoring museum trains.

7
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,040
Most tROM participants felt forced
to participate in the project,

8
00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,600
to keep their unemployment benefit.

9
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,800
Some of the participants,
mentors and others present

10
00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,960
may have been exposed
to the dangerous chemical chromium-6.

11
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,680
This was contained in old layers of paint
on the trains.

12
00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:46,120
Sanding and cleaning with compressed air
can release chromium-6 particles.

13
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,320
Chromium-6 can enter the human body
if the particles are inhaled or swallowed.

14
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:55,200
Research shows that tROM participants
and their mentors

15
00:00:55,360 --> 00:01:00,560
may have fallen ill or may still fall ill
due to contact with chromium-6.

16
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,160
That depends, in part, on how long
people worked in the dust,

17
00:01:04,320 --> 00:01:09,160
how much dust they breathed in
and how much chromium-6 was in the dust.

18
00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:14,440
Participants weren't sufficiently informed
about how to work safely with chromium-6.

19
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,440
They weren't offered
any medical testing, either.

20
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,000
There weren't always overalls
and good facemasks available,

21
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,040
and no one checked on whether
these were being used.

22
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,920
The care tROM participants received
didn't comply with regulations.

23
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,280
The City of Tilburg, as the employer,
was responsible for tROM work safety.

24
00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,600
The city could have known that chromium-6
is harmful to one's health.

25
00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,880
Participants, mentors
and others involved didn't know

26
00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,080
that there was chromium-6
in the paint on the trains.

27
00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:49,280
The Railway Museum and NedTrain
owned the trains.

28
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,360
NedTrain knew
that the paint contained chromium-6

29
00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,080
and did not inform the city.

30
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,240
If this has harmed anyone's health,

31
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,440
the City of Tilburg, NedTrain
and possibly other parties

32
00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,360
could be held responsible.

33
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,800
tROM participants and mentors
who were exposed to chromium-6 and fall ill

34
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,760
may be paid damages.

35
00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:18,960
Want to know more?
www.rivm.nl/chroom-6-en-carc.