WTC recovery worker still sick, hurting

By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF member Lawrence Salavec is living proof of that old axiom: No good deed goes unpunished.

He was one of hundreds of PEF members who helped with the rescue and recovery efforts following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Unfortunately for them, the danger was not over when the buildings stopped falling and the fires went out.

An inspector for the state Labor Department Bureau of Public Employee Safety and Health, Salavec has developed serious medical problems as a result of that work.

“I’ve been to more doctors in the last year, than in my entire life,” he said.
“I’m pretty upset about my breathing problems, because I think the government lied to us about the danger of breathing that air,” Salavec added. 

“I could taste the metal dust in the air, but I was discouraged from wearing a respirator when I left the immediate recovery site. They were afraid it would upset the people who lived down there if they saw us wearing respirators on the street.

“I never smoked, nor had allergies or any chronic respiratory problems before this,” he said. “Now, I have a sore throat, breathing problems, sinusitis and headaches. It’s been more than two years and the symptoms haven’t gone away.”

Salavec also has had two operations on his ankle because of an injury at the recovery site and he has post traumatic stress disorder.

The treatment for his ankle and respiratory problems are covered by Workers’ Compensation, but, so far, it isn’t covering the post traumatic stress. 

Adding insult to injury, he said, has been the state’s refusal to release his records from its WTC Medical Monitoring Program to his doctor, even though Salavec has provided written permission for the release.

“My doctors could use those early test results as a baseline to see how my conditions have changed,” he said.

Salavec said Jonathan Rosen, PEF director of occupational safety and health, has been helping him cut through the red tape to get the treatment and coverage he needs.

Communicator Homepage March 04

Inside This Issue
Features
PEF tells lawmakers to keep
Court rules grievance denial
Battle for Middletown Psych Center
PEF rejects state’s contract offer
Take the contract pledge
Saving Camp McGregor
Shadow agencies undercutting trust
Parole rule changes spark concerns

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
PS&T Contract Update
Nurses' Station
Member Mobilization
Health Notes
Retirees In Action
Back Cover Ad
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
PEF victory allows Downstate nurses
State lagging to help its 9/11 ‘heroes’
Struggle to save members at OCFS
WTC recovery worker still sick, hurting
PEF political volunteers get out the vote
Nurses set Lobby Day for May 4
Mobilizer conference, workshops
Vacant PEF Board seat filled
Attention Veterans

Save these dates:
April 21-25
Somos El Futuro!
The annual weekend conference in Albany of the Caucus of NYS Hispanic and Puerto Rican Legislators
For more information, to volunteer, or make reservations for the reception, call Helen Brooks at the PEF Legislative Office, 1-800-724-4997.

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