Asbestos Violations Lead to Fines
Despite efforts to protect the safety of city workers, an Oregon city was cited for failure to comply with OSHA asbestos handling and employee safety guidelines during the demolition of an old house. The city claims that they took all the safety precautions they knew about and thought they had done everything they were supposed to. They also admit that they did not check with OSHA, and did not take all the actions required by federal standards.
From the 1960’s on, the toxicity of asbestos began to be recognized and its use was limited. Then in the mid-80’s, asbestos and asbestos containing materials were banned for commercial and industrial use. The link between exposure to asbestos and several serious illnesses, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung disease, is now widely accepted. Federal safety regulations were created in regards to demolition of buildings constructed before 1980 in efforts to protect workers from being exposed to asbestos. OSHA has strict guidelines that must be followed. The city of Central Point in Oregon was fined after citations of failure to meet three main requirements:
- Failure to inspect for asbestos and warn of the potential presence of asbestos at the work site. OSHA requires that the structure to be demolished be thoroughly inspected by a certified asbestos inspector to determine the types and quantities of asbestos-containing materials. The type, location, and quantity of asbestos must then be specified and communicated to workers.
- Failure to provide adequate training and proper safety gear, such as protective clothing, gloves, foot coverings, and asbestos respirators.
- Failure to follow management and disposal guidelines.
Cities, organizations or companies who fail to comply with requirements can face enforcement actions, penalties, and sometimes even criminal prosecution. In this case, the city did not perform the work in total disregard to workers health and safety, and the fines were minimal, $815. However, the citation and penalties were sufficient enough to prompt city officials to change how they perform demolition projects involving asbestos in the future, making sure they are in accordance with OSHA and DEQ standards.
