IBM has settled a lawsuit brought by former employees, who say they developed cancer from working in the company's disk drive plant in San Jose. The terms of the settlement have not been made public.

According to the suit, exposure to toxic chemicals caused the workers to develop various cancers. The settlement follows a separate case last year brought by two former IBM staffers. This accused IBM of knowing that its workers were exposed to toxic chemicals, but doing nothing to inform them of the risk. The workers lost the case after a four-month jury trial.

Although these latest cases have now been dismissed, IBM is still facing similar court actions in New York, Minnesota and elsewhere. The cases are being followed closely by the semiconductor industry, whose health and safety practices have been highlighted by the lawsuits. ®

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