July 17 (Saturday) 1:00 PM (Free)
ILWU Local 34
801 2nd St.
San Francisco, CA

The first national conference on the issue of biotechnology, nanotechnology, health and safety and the public will take place in San Francisco.

The growing dangers of the development of the biotech industry without proper oversight and regulation is a threat to workers in the industry and the public at large. This conference will outline some of the systemic problems in the protection of workers and the communities with no regulations and standards. It will also outline policies and procedures to protect biotech workers and the public as well as how these can be taken forward. (Parking is available)

Scheduled Speakers:

Becky McClain – Molecular biologist [23 years] and injured Pfizer biotech worker – The Center for Public awareness in Bioethics (CPAB)

Lawrence Rose, MD, M.PH. – Former Cal/OSHA Senior Public Medical Officer [retired after 28 years]; Part of the UCSF Occupational/Environmental Medicine Department

Sandi Trend – Mother of Injured Agraquest, Inc. biotech worker, David Bell – Bio-Tech Awareness

Daniel Berman, PhD – Author of  “Death On The Job”

Dr. Jack D. Thrasher, PhD – Toxicologist, Immunotoxicologist, Fetal Toxicologist

*Sponsored by California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day (CCWMD) 415-867-0628 – Workers Memorial Day.org

*Endorsed by Council for Responsible Genetics – Council for Responsible Genetics.org

As The Council For Responsible Genetics – Gene Watch Magazine (April-May 2010 Issue) Editorial so bluntly put it:

This may be one of the most important GeneWatch issues in recent memory.  In the early days, the Council for Responsible Genetics put a great deal of effort into laboratory safety questions as Harvard University prepared to set up a recombinant DNA lab.

Today, biolab safety is still an important issue for those who live near a current or planned high security laboratory, such as Boston University’s plan to study highly pathogenic diseases in a Biosafety Level 4 lab nestled in the densely populated neighborhood of Roxbury.  In this issue, we also focus on those directly in the line of fire: lab workers.

Becky McClain’s case against Pfizer is central to this issue.  While a researcher in a Pfizer lab, Becky became severely ill.  All of the evidence suggests that a mishandled genetically  engineered virus was the culprit, but Pfizer will not release the records that could prove this – and help Becky’s doctors determine the best course of treatment.

Aside from Pfizer’s mistreatment of their own worker after she became ill, Becky’s case demonstrated how easily companies can get away with shockingly poor safety measures in labs.  This was even more clear in the case of David Bell, who contracted a mysterious infection while working in a pesticide company lab where potentially hazardous experiments were conducted with a bathroom fan for ventilation and where the researchers gathered each day for afternoon tea-not in a break room, but in the lab, among the researchers’ malaria experiments and exotic soil cultures.

At Pfizer, the hallway doubled as a lunch room.  Workers ate while dangerous materials were carried past, and on several occasions Becky McClain says they discovered biological samples sitting where employees ate their lunches.  Her complaints on the matter fell on deaf ears, as did David’s at his lab (he was told biohazard signs would not look good for tours).  Becky compares safety hazards in biolabs to “a roach in the kitchen”-when you see one, you can bet it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

The same could be said of Becky McClain and David Bell themselves.  These are no isolated incidents.  Now that we have seen these two cases, one has to wonder: how many more are out there?

The 23rd-2 GeneWatch Issue, BioLab Safety

Safety Rules Can’t Keep Up With Biotech Industry – AMERICAN WORKERS’ EXPOSED TO “UNKNOWN” TOXIN’S IN BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES; CHEMICALS – VIRUSES – BACTERIA – FUNGUS – PARASITES – NEMATODES

U.S. Chamber of Commerce & Deceit in Mold Litigation

TRUTH OUT Sharon Kramer Letter To Andrew Saxon MOLD ISSUE

National Apartment Association Tells Its Members MOLD CAUSES DEATH; Tells Courts It Doesn’t With The Help of US Chamber and UCLA

Thank You National Apartment Association. I will do my best to get this very important information out ASAP to numerous owners, investors, huge property management companies (e.g., Riverstone Residential), attorneys, and judges, AND, of course, to the MANY people who are currently living in MOLD-INFESTED APARTMENT COMPLEXES right now! katy

FEMA Using US Chamber Fraud in Katrina Trailer Litigation; EPA, GAO & Both Isle$ of Congre$$ Turn Blind Eye$

Political Action Committee – National Apartment Association (NAA) files Amicus Brief in mold case (two infant deaths in mold filled apt – Wasatch Prop Mgmt) citing US Chamber/ACOEM ‘litigation defense report’ to disclaim health effects of indoor mold & limit financial risk for industry

New Action Committee – ACHEMMIC- Urges Transparency in EPA Policy Over Mold & Microbial Contaminants

Truth About Mold – the most up to date, accurate, and reliable information on Toxic Mold

Sociological Issues Relating to Mold: The Mold Wars

“Changes in construction methods have caused US buildings to become perfect petri dishes for mold and bacteria to flourish when water is added. Instead of warning the public and teaching physicians that the buildings were causing illness; in 2003 the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, a think-tank, and a workers comp physician trade organization mass marketed an unscientific nonsequitor to the courts to disclaim the adverse health effects to stave off liability for financial stakeholders of moldy buildings. Although publicly exposed many times over the years, the deceit lingers in US courts to this very day.” Sharon Noonan Kramer

Information about Riverstone Residential, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and the owners of Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana allowing tenants to be exposed to extreme amounts of toxins from molds by intentionally concealing evidence

Irrefutable evidence indicates that Riverstone Residential, Guarantee Service Team of Professionals, & plaintiffs’ attorney, J Arthur Smith III, must have agreed to exclude evidence that would have shown the owners of Jefferson Lakes Apartments & Riverstone Residential had knowledge of the severe MOLD INFESTATION at the complex before we moved in

Riverstone Residential Litigation

Mold Inspection Reports

Photos of Mold in Apartment

Attorney Malpractice

Links to Riverstone Residential Mold and Illegal Business Practice Complaints and More!