Opinion ID: 516452
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Working conditions aggravating disease

Text: 46 In addition to his contention that the working conditions were in themselves cruel and unusual, Jackson makes an alternative argument that the working conditions violated the Eighth Amendment because they were inappropriate to his medical condition. Among the cases we relied upon when deciding Howard v. King, supra, was Ray v. Mabry, 556 F.2d 881 (8th Cir.1977). In Ray the Eighth Circuit noted that prison work requirements which compel inmates to perform physical labor which is beyond their strength, endangers their lives, or causes undue pain constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Id. at 882. The prisoner in Ray objected to a 90 to 120 hour work week, in which he was compelled to do work unsuited to him because of a physical disability. The Eighth Circuit held that this stated a claim under the Eighth Amendment. It would appear, therefore, that the constitutionality of a particular working condition must be evaluated in the light of the particular medical conditions of the complaining prisoner. 47 [W]hen the type of work to which the convict is assigned admittedly worsens a pathological condition, such work must be deemed cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, when the work has been assigned with the knowledge of the condition and that it will be worsened thereby or when it has been continued with the same knowledge. 48 Black v. Ciccone, 324 F.Supp. 129, 133 (W.D.Mo.1970). At least this is so where the pathological condition is a medically serious one, and the worsening is significant. 49 From the records it appears that Jackson was taken off the Jenkins' crew almost immediately after his syphilis was diagnosed. However, he was placed back on the same work detail a second time 8 days later for at least 59 more days. All of the second work assignment took place while Jackson was on an antibiotic treatment regime, after prison authorities assumed he had syphilis. But at the time he insisted the diagnosis was wholly mistaken. He now alleges that such heavy work in the sunlight was directly inconsistent with the treatment of syphilis. Medical treatment and working conditions overlap in this claim. Since the work was not cruel and unusual per se, only if the officials knew it would significantly aggravate Jackson's serious medical ailment would they have been acting in violation of the Eighth Amendment. 50 The prison officials' behavior would have to have risen above mere negligence. Mere negligence would not establish a claim. Fielder v. Bosshard, 590 F.2d 105, 107 (5th Cir.1979). See also, Smith v. Dooley, 591 F.Supp. 1157, 1169 (W.D.La.1984) aff'd without opinion, 778 F.2d 788 (5th Cir.1985). While an inadvertent failure does not state a violation, deliberate indifference to a prisoner's serious medical needs does. Whitley v. Albers, 475 U.S. 312, 319, 106 S.Ct. 1078, 1084, 89 L.Ed.2d 251 (1986) (the Eighth Amendment prohibits actions characterized by obdurancy and wantonness, not inadvertance or error in good faith.). See also, Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. at 105, 97 S.Ct. at 291; Hearn v. Hudson, 549 F.Supp. 949, 961-62 (W.D.Va.1982). If prison officials knowingly put Jackson on a work detail which they knew would significantly aggravate his serious physical ailment such a decision would constitute deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. 51 The magistrate in his analysis did not separate the issue of the appropriateness of working conditions to Jackson's physical condition from that of access to medical care. However they are two separate claims. To quote the magistrate 52 In addition to protesting the change in assignments, plaintiff complains about the conditions under which he shoveled corn and worked in a sweatshop. Although the state generally has a responsibility to protect the safety of its prisoners, Sampson v. King, 693 F.2d 566 (5th Cir.1982), plaintiff's conclusions that he suffered permanent injuries performing his duties are totally unsubstantiated. Although plaintiff alleges he developed sores and was exposed to dust and rodents, he does not complain that he was denied any needed medical care.... Additionally, there are no allegations that his condition warranted any special treatment or that he was required to perform duties not required of other inmates. Plaintiff's pleadings and the administrative records reveal that plaintiff had access to medical treatment. (emphasis added) 53 The record belies this finding. In Jackson's motion for summary judgment and the briefs Jackson has submitted to this Court, he contends his illness required different work and that he notified the medical personnel that his work was injuring him. Jackson has specifically stated that being forced to do 106 days of hard labor in the sun is contrary to what he argues is standard procedure for treating venereal disease. In his summary judgment motion appellant contended that he was treated differently from other persons on the work crew, and was routinely forced to mow lawns for two hours in direct sunlight with a substandard push lawn mower, a task which no other inmates had to do. In his appeal to the Fifth Circuit Jackson further claims that there were eight other inmates on the job with him, but they were called to do other jobs after it was always noticed that plaintiff was not resistant to the egregious conditions he suffered unconstitutionally. The contentions are inartfully phrased; they clearly state, however, that Jackson's condition warranted special treatment but that instead he was put on a sweatshop crew and at least part of his work differed from anyone else's. 54 The magistrate (and by implication, the district court) apparently thought that since Jackson's allegations of permanent injury from the work were unsubstantiated, his claim must fail. We have never imposed a permanent injury requirement on claims under the Eighth Amendment. In Bienvenu v. Beauregard Parish Police Jury, 705 F.2d 1457 (5th Cir.1983), allegations of a cold, rainy, roach invested jail cell, with inoperative toilet facilities, stated a cause of action under the Eighth Amendment. Jackson did not provide the magistrate with medical records to substantiate his claim. He filed a request for production of his prison and medical records, but did not file a motion to compel production. It would be unduly harsh to dismiss a pro se prisoner's action because of this failure of legal knowledge. See Murrell v. Bennett, 615 F.2d 306, 310 (5th Cir.1980). Jackson has stated a valid claim under the Eighth Amendment. He should be given a chance to prove that (1) the work significantly aggravated his syphilis, causing him injury and (2) the prison officials knew of this specific danger because of his physical condition and yet ignored it. Summary judgment was inappropriate as to this part of the action. 55