Asbestos News Roundup: 3.3.11

March 3rd, 2011. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of asbestos hot spots from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Jefferson County, TX: An asbestos complaint has been filed by the son of Daniel Oney, who died on June 2, 2010, shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Ronald Oney filed his suit Feb. 25 in Jefferson County District Court,  Under the Federal Employers Liability Act, The suit alleges that Daniel Oney’s employer, Kansas City Southern Railway Co, exposed him to asbestos from 1971 to 1994, while he was employed by the railway.

Daniel Oney was employed by KCSR and worked throughout Jefferson County, according to the lawsuit. During his employment, the suit alleges, he was exposed to asbestos and diesel exhaust, resulting in his being diagnosed with lung cancer on April 28, 2010. The suit alleges KCSR knew of the dangers yet still exposed workers to harmful substances.

The plaintiff is suing for his father’s alleged past and future medical expenses, mental anguish, pain, impairment, disfigurement and lost wages, plus all court costs. (SETexas Record)

Asbestos Law

Olympia, WA: Spenser Abatement Services Inc., a Puyallup asbestos abatement company, has been cited by the Washington Department of Labor & Industries for several willful violations. Specifically, the action deals with two abatement projects the company undertook in 2010 at the former Lynnwood High School and a building in Olympia, WA, used by the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

At the Lynnwood site, Spenser Abatement was cited for 11 willful violations and three serious violations, with a fine of $256,900. At the DOT building, the company was cited for eight willful and three serious violations and fined $180,400. The fines from both citations total $437,300.

The Department of Labor & Industries inspection of the Lynnwood site found significant problems with the company’s work removing materials, such as pipe insulation and vinyl tiles, that are known to contain asbestos.

A number of safety measures are required for the safe removal of asbestos-containing materials.The inspections determined that Spenser Abatement ignored basic safety measures, exposing workers to unsafe levels of asbestos. The heavy dust at the Lynnwood site drove one Spenser employee to seek medical care for breathing difficulties.

“We do not issue willful violations lightly, but this was an employer who knew the laws, knew how to protect his workers, and deliberately chose not to do so,” said Michael Silverstein, assistant director of L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. “Worker safety should never be placed at risk just to improve a company’s bottom line.” (OHSonline.com)

Asbestos Hot Spots

Wichita, KA: County Commissioners in Sedgwick, Kansas, are facing a bill of roughly $95,000 to remove asbestos found in the Coleman factory in downtown Wichita. The estimate is less than originally presumed because much less roofing material is affected than first believed.

Asbestos removal was estimated to cost $120,200 but now will cost $24,550. About 5,200 square feet of roofing material is involved in the asbestos abatement instead of the 65,000 square feet originally estimated. (Wichitiopekinton.com)

St. Louis, OH: Further to a recent closure of St. Louis Park’s high school and junior high for two days in February due to the discovery of asbestos in old floor tiles, crews are now planning to remove those tiles. The tiles will be replaced during the district’s Spring break, and any remaining work will be finished during the summer when students are not in school.(StarTribune.com)

Griswold, CT: Following the discovery of asbestos-containing glue used to hold chalkboards in place, and in caulking at Griswold Elementary School, the Griswold Board of Selectmen has approved a $149,671 change order to cover the necessary asbestos abatement.

The school, built in the 1960s, is scheduled for demolition, however, asbestos removal must be done before the demolition can begin. The school is being razed to make way for the second phase of a $35.9 million elementary school project expected to be completed by fall. Seventy percent of the project’s cost will be reimbursed by the state. (Norwich Bulletin)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma, asbestos_mesothelioma

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