The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating allegations of serious workplace violations by Superior General Contracting during a residential remodeling project.  The company is being accused of putting the health of workers at serious risk of exposure to asbestos by not following federally required health standards.

Exposure to asbestos can cause serious diseases, including incurable lung cancer.  One such illness caused by exposure to asbestos is mesothelioma, an incurable form of lung cancer that develops in the lining of the lung, chest or abdomen.  Symptoms of mesothelioma do not develop until decades after exposure, and often only after it has developed into late stages of the disease.  The only way to prevent mesothelioma is to avoid all contact with asbestos.

OSHA has cited Superior General for not taking protective measures to prevent exposure.  OSHA requires that any remodeling project on buildings suspect to contain asbestos first be inspected by licensed professionals. 

If asbestos containing materials are found, regulations require contractors to wet any materials prior to disturbance and during clean up.  Specially designed respirators as well as vacuums are required, along with protective clothing.  Anyone working with asbestos containing materials is required to be properly trained to conduct safe repair, removal, and disposal.

Superior General has two weeks to comply or contest OSHA’s allegations.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 4:32 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.