FORMER TAIPEI MRT WORKERS PROTEST AT LABOR MINISTRY|施工不當罹潛水夫症 北捷工人爭補償

The Taipei Metro's Xindian Line project first adopted the "compressed air tunneling" method 20 years ago. However, the lack of proper decompression for workers has led to 44 cases of decompression sickness. Some workers even developed osteonecrosis as a result. Yesterday, these former MRT workers petitioned the Ministry of Labor to extend them occupational hazard insurance and the severe illness card, so as to take some of their financial burdens off. Those former workers used to work at Taipei MRT's Xindian Line. 20 years ago the construction adopted compressed air method. However, no labor inspection nor air decompression were enforced. That caused 44 workers suffered from decompression sickness, so-called "divers' disease." ==MR. CHEN, Taipei MRT worker== They didn't inform us about the sequela. Neither the contractor protected us from it. When we entered the tunnel, we were not supposed to work for more than four hours a day. All of us worked over eight hours a day. Those workers suffered from muscular stiffness all over their bodies. They thought the cause may be due to fatigue but later found out their bones turned dark and affected with divers' disease. The only treatment is going through hyperbaric oxygen therapy to relieve pains. However, a single treatment costs NT$1,500, it has been quite a burden to workers. ==MR. LEE, Taipei MRT worker== My bone joint here and gluteofemoral joint are in necrosis state. All bones turned dark. Showing their diagnosis of proofs, these former MRT workers petitioned to the Ministry of Labor for qualifying occupational accident insurance and severe illness IC card. Those may relieve them from the burden on medical bills. They also urged the government to offer regular health checks for labors and establish a database of occupational illness. ==HUNG KEN-CHIANG, Ministry of Labor Chief Secretary== For those workers who have suffered from divers' disease, we recommend them getting treatment from the ten contracted centers for occupational disease. The treatment for divers' disease needs hyperbaric oxygen therapy. If they need to have severe illness IC cards, we will request the National Health Insurance Administration to assist those workers. Some MRT workers had already left posts and canceled their insurance. The Ministry of Labor stated, they are considering qualifying those workers under the Occupational Accident Labor Protection Act and offer better protection for labors. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 一群奮力為捷運施工的工人們，因為在20年前捷運新店線工程，首度採用壓氣工法，沒有經過勞檢，也沒依法減壓，造成44名捷運工人受害，陸續罹患潛水夫症。 ==捷運工人 陳先生== 當初他都沒有告訴我們 有這個後遺症 就是它(包商)把關也沒有把好 我們進到洞裡 一天不能超過四小時 我們都做了八小時以上 因為被蒙在鼓裡，一開始，身體酸痛，工人還以為是太累，結果一就醫檢查，才發現骨頭已經發黑，得了無法根治潛水夫症，只能靠高壓氧，來減輕疼痛，但每次治療，卻得花費1500元，是相當大負擔。 ==捷運工人 李先生== 我這個關節 跟這個臀股 就是 已經壞死 就是(骨頭)都已經變黑了 拿出診斷證明，捷運工人向勞動部陳情，要爭取職災保險和重大傷病卡，減輕他們的醫療負擔，更希望給予工人定期健檢，並建立職業病資料庫。 ==勞動部主任秘書 洪根強== 如果已經罹患潛水夫症這些勞工 我們建議 他就近洽我們委託的十大傷病中心 來進行診治 因為他潛水夫症 需要高壓氧治療 如果需要重大傷病卡這個部份 我們會後 會請衛福部建保署來協助處理 其中，有許多已經離職退保的工人，要爭取勞保職病給付，勞動部表示，目前已經在研議是否納入職災勞保法，給予勞工更好的保障。 記者 蔡慧玲 王興中 台北報導