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Carelessness at job site results in asbestos violations, fines
An asbestos removal project at a warehouse in downtown Buffalo, New York, has caused an area contractor to incur a $484,000 fine. Cambria Contracting, Inc. of Lockport, New York, was fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for asbestos-related violations made during the cleanup of the former AM & A warehouse, which is undergoing renovations to become a multi-use facility.
OSHA levied penalties for 11 separate asbestos violations which it deemed both intentional and willful. Workers for Cambria had not been given any asbestos training and were not given protective equipment to wear and use while abating the asbestos.
In fact, OSHA found that the company had failed to notify the workers that asbestos was even present at the site.
"Asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard since inhalation of asbestos fibers may lead to lung cancer and other diseases," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's Buffalo area director.
Asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that can be treated using palliative treatment methods like chemo. The cancer affects roughly 3,000 new patients every year, yet there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years, at which point symptoms like shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and fluid buildup may appear. In as few as 24 months, most mesothelioma patient are dead. However, some patients can live with the cancer for many years.
Cambria Contracting has 15 days to pay the fine or to contest it.