The City of Marshall, North Carolina, has been cited by the North Carolina Department of Labor for several asbestos violations during a recent remodel of the town hall. Included in the citations is a $1750 fine for failing to protect workers from asbestos.
Among the asbestos violations cited against Marshall are:
- A competent person did not oversee the work and conduct an exposure assessment.
- Engineering controls and work practices in accordance with the law were not used.
- Asbestos workers dry swept and/or shoveled asbestos.
- A respiratory protection program was not used.
- The presence, location and quantity of asbestos was not identified prior to the start of the remodel.
An architect that worked on the project on a volunteer basis filed a complaint with OSHA that led to an inspection by the N.C. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division. The architect, Katherine Bond, wrote in a letter to the Board of Aldermen, “What started as a concern over a potential fire hazard with new insulation being placed on an existing ceiling has resulted in the improper removal of material which I believe contains asbestos. This material was removed by town employees without proper equipment and job site safety procedures.”
What is a $1750 fine compared to the fear of mesothelioma those workers will carry for the rest of their lives? How little mesothelioma medical care would $1750 buy? It appears the town administrators are fully engaged in finger pointing at one another as a result of the citation. We sincerely hope that the victims and families of this botched remodel receive the compassion and support they deserve.
