Local officials have elected to convert a former hospital in Harrison County, Kentucky, into a Government Center that will house new county offices. The former Harrison hospital complex will be renovated by AML Inc., a general contractor selected by the Harrison County Commissioners for the multi-million dollar contract.
The Harrison hospital complex made use of asbestos insulation, now known to be a serious health hazard, which will need to be safely removed before the renovations are completed. Asbestos abatement is necessary in many renovation projects in order to avoid asbestos exposure that can lead to illness and death. Up until the 1980′s, many new construction projects used asbestos prolifically as a fire retardant and insulating material. Asbestos was often pressed into boards and sheets that were used inside of walls and ceilings, and was blown into attic spaces and above ceiling tiles.
Asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive, incurable cancer which kills some 3,000 Americans every year. Mesothelioma is indicated by severe scarring and existence of tumors in the mesothelium, a soft tissue lining which encases many of our vital organs. The cancer can be difficult to diagnose due to its rarity and the fact that its symptoms are generic and flu like in the early stages. Once diagnosed, however, the prognosis is rarely hopeful; mesothelioma victims often learn that they have less than two years to live.
Asbestos must be inhaled or ingested in order to pose a threat, which means that in most cases asbestos insulation itself is not dangerous. During renovations, however, demolition efforts can upset the insulation fibers which then end up airborne where they could become a problem. Specialized contractors that are licensed or certified by appropriate government agencies are required for asbestos removal in order to be sure that the substance is properly contained and disposed of, and to ensure that the laborers are protected against exposure.
A separate, specialized contractor, Midwest Services Group, will handle the asbestos abatement portion of the project for around 3% of the total renovation cost of $14 million. Other subcontractors will handle various different parts of the renovations like installing plumbing, electrical wiring, phone services and more. According to James Goldman, the president of the Harrison County Commissioners, the renovation project should be completed early next year, hopefully by January 2011.
