Asbestos News Roundup: 4.7.11

April 7th, 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

Marshall, TX:  A resident of East Texas has filed an asbestos lawsuit against several of his former employers over allegations that during his employment with the defendants, he was exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. Billy F. Wall was diagnosed with asbestos-related pleural disease and mild interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in 2011, following diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2010.

In their asbestos claim, Wall and his wife, Sandra, claim that Mr. Wall, who worked as a maintenance pipefitter, welder and insulator at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant in Harrison County from approximately 1974 to 1996, was exposed to asbestos fibers on a daily basis as his job duties required him to remove asbestos insulation from piping and install new asbestos insulation. Also named in the suit are A.W. Chesterton Co., Cleaver-Brooks Co. Inc., Goulds Pumps Inc., Shreveport Rubber & Gasket and J. Graves Insulation Co. Inc.

The asbestos suit alleges that the asbestos, asbestos fibers and asbestos-containing products were manufactured, distributed and supplied by defendants J. Graves Insulation Co., A.W. Chesterton and Shreveport Rubber & Gasket.

The suit claims that the defendants failed to warn Mr. Wall of the dangers regarding exposure to asbestos; that they failed to test their products; that they failed to instruct consumers of proper safety measures to reduce or eliminate exposure; and that they failed to properly package their products so that all warnings and instructions were prominently displayed.

“Billy F. Wall was unaware of and completely innocent of the wrongful conduct of the Defendants and ignorant of the dangers and hazards to which he was exposed,” the lawsuit states.

Billy Wall is seeking damages for mental anguish, impairment, loss of enjoyment, physical pain and suffering, disfigurement, medical expenses, and court costs. Mrs. Wall is seeking damages for loss of consortium and mental anguish. (SETexas record.com)

Madison County, IL: During the first quarter of 2011, some 154 new asbestos lawsuits were filed in Madison County, according to a review of suits filed between January 1 and March 29.

Mesothelioma claims comprised 117 of the cases. Thirty claims involved lung cancer; four involved asbestosis; and there was one claim for pleural plaques, one for colon cancer and one for adrenocarcinoma. Of the 154 filed, 19 were claims made by Illinois residents; 135 claims were made by non-residents.

During a recent hearing of an asbestos claim in Madison County, it was noted that there are about 2,900 mesothelioma diagnoses made nationally every year, and about 140 in Illinois alone. Further, 506 mesothelioma cases were filed in Madison County in 2010. (Madison record.com)

Asbestos Hot Spot

Montreal, PQ: According to a new report released by Quebec’s Public Health Department the air that construction workers breathe at construction sites around the province contains high levels of asbestos—higher than the provincial norms.

The study examined 3,000 air samples taken from worksites that were considered at elevated risk for asbestos exposure. The data showed that 43 per cent of the sites had concentrations of the mineral’s cancer-causing fibres that met or exceeded the limit.

“What (the study) shows is that even though in Quebec we have norms, active laws, inspectors and also the availability of protective gear . . . it’s (still) very difficult to adhere to the norms,” Louise Souliere, public-health director for a central Quebec region told the Winnipeg Free Press. “So, this means that even the workers who know they’re working with asbestos are sometimes at risk.”

Notably, the study mentions that the occupational asbestos exposure limit for Quebec allows for 10 times more airborne fibres than other Canadian provinces. Worse, the provincial limit is 100 times more than some European countries.

The report was published Friday on the department website, and adds fuel to the argument against re-funding of the highly controversial Jeffrey asbestos mine in the Quebec town of Asbestos. The Quebec government is currently trying to decide whether it should give a $58-million bank-loan guarantee to extend the life of the mine.

Not surprisingly, health experts say that the figures in the report raise serious questions about the safety of shipping asbestos overseas to developing countries, which is where the bulk of Canadian asbestos is sold. “In a sense, (the report) shows that under the best of circumstances—which I think is most likely what we meet in a modern country like Canada—we still have a failure rate of almost 50 per cent,” said Fernand Turcotte, a professor of preventative medicine at Universite Laval. “We cannot offer them (developing countries) but a tiny fraction of what we use here—in terms of precautions—and look at the failure rate that we still face.” (Winnipeg free press)

Asbestos Law

Boston, MA: The 44-year old founder of Boston-based Mayo Group real estate company has pled guilty to the improper removal and disposal of asbestos. He also pled guilty to failing to provide pay records, and evading unemployment insurance payments.

Mr. McGrail and JM Realty, a real estate development and property management company of which he is the owner, were ordered by Judge Regina Quinlan to pay collective fines totaling $200,000. The judge also sentenced the defendants to three years’ probation, which involves providing certain employees with asbestos awareness training. (theirishemigrant.com)

 Columbus, OH:  Indus Hotels of Columbus, Ohio has admitted to mishandling asbestos during the renovation of one of its hotels and conference centers near the Milwaukee airport. The company will pay the state of Wisconsin an $80,000 fine, as a result.

Indus reportedly oversaw a $14 million renovation of the Ramada Inn and Conference Center, 6401 S. 13th St., in 2008. The overhaul created what is now the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport Hotel. (thewavy.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma, asbestos_mesothelioma

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