Francisco Castillo This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Indifference to Safety

   www.farmworkerjustice.org/Reso - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/4/2007   Last Visited: 5/14/2008

   Francisco Castillo worked as a farm laborer for Los Torres Rancho from February 8, 1994 through April 13, 1994.According to Castillo, his duties included mixing and spraying pesticides, but he did not know the names of the pesticides he handled.He never received pesticide training, nor was he provided with PPE.He was supervised by Beto Hernandez, who also sprayed pesticides at the farm.
   
   On March 8, 1994, Castillo suffered symptoms including a pain in his right side, dizziness, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping.He was then treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital.No Notice of Injury ever was filed by the employer, which would have triggered payment for this treatment by the workers' compensation carrier.
   ...
   According to Hernandez, Castillo drove the tractor while Hernandez sprayed Roundup.
   ...
   Nonetheless, Torres admitted that Castillo did once help Hernandez apply about 3 tanks of Roundup.
   ...
   Florida Rural Legal Services filed a complaint on Castillo's behalf, in which it was alleged that Castillo applied a number of pesticides, including Dyna Gro, Princep, Kocide DI, Comite, Morestan, Vendex 4L, Agral,SOl, Manex, Thimet, Amine, Solican DF, and Roundup.
   ...
   There is no list in the file of the pesticides that were sprayed during the time that Castillo did work at the ranch.Nor is there any discussion of the signs or symptoms of poisoning of the chemicals to which Castillo alleges he was exposed.One of the chemicals that Castillo's counsel believes he was exposed to, Thimet, is a Toxicity Category I organophosphate, exposure to which may cause, among other things, dizziness, diarrhea, and restlessness ,, all of which were symptoms that Castillo experienced.
   
   After its "thorough investigation," FDACS concluded that there were no violations at that farm.To reach this conclusion, FDACS credited the accounts of the employer and applicator over Castillo's.

2. 2. Indifference to Safety

   www.fwjustice.org/Resources/In - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/30/2006   Last Visited: 5/13/2008

   Francisco Castillo worked as a farm laborer for Los Torres Rancho from February 8, 1994 through April 13, 1994. According to Castillo, his duties included mixing and spraying pesticides, but he did not know the names of the pesticides he handled. He never received pesticide training, nor was he provided with PPE. He was supervised by Beto Hernandez, who also sprayed pesticides at the farm.
   
   On March 8, 1994, Castillo suffered symptoms including a pain in his right side, dizziness, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping. He was then treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital. No Notice of Injury ever was filed by the employer, which would have triggered payment for this treatment by the workers' compensation carrier.
   ...
   According to Hernandez, Castillo drove the tractor while Hernandez sprayed Roundup.
   ...
   Nonetheless, Torres admitted that Castillo did once help Hernandez apply about 3 tanks of Roundup.
   ...
   Florida Rural Legal Services filed a complaint on Castillo's behalf, in which it was alleged that Castillo applied a number of pesticides, including Dyna Gro, Princep, Kocide DI, Comite, Morestan, Vendex 4L, Agral,SOl, Manex, Thimet, Amine, Solican DF, and Roundup.
   ...
   There is no list in the file of the pesticides that were sprayed during the time that Castillo did work at the ranch. Nor is there any discussion of the signs or symptoms of poisoning of the chemicals to which Castillo alleges he was exposed. One of the chemicals that Castillo's counsel believes he was exposed to, Thimet, is a Toxicity Category I organophosphate, exposure to which may cause, among other things, dizziness, diarrhea, and restlessness ,, all of which were symptoms that Castillo experienced.
   
   After its "thorough investigation," FDACS concluded that there were no violations at that farm. To reach this conclusion, FDACS credited the accounts of the employer and applicator over Castillo's.