Edmonds asbestos
removal company fined more than a quarter-million dollars for exposing workers
and the public to unsafe conditions
TUMWATER — An Edmonds-based asbestos removal contractor has been cited by
the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) for multiple
willful safety violations for improper handling of asbestos. Along with the
citations, the company faces fines totaling $229,700.
L&I has
cited Above & Beyond Asbestos Removal in connection with two separate
inspections. Along with citing and fining a company, L&I may also decertify
an asbestos contractor for multiple willful violations. This company is under
review.
“This company has demonstrated a continuous indifference to
Washington’s asbestos handling rules which protect workers and the public from
harm,” said Anne Soiza, L&I’s assistant director for the Division of
Occupational Safety and Health. “This fine delivers a clear message that
asbestos is a deadly hazard and we won’t tolerate any company that doesn’t
follow the rules to keep the public and workers safe.”
Asbestos is extremely hazardous and can cause potentially
fatal diseases like asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Only a certified
abatement contractor that follows the specific asbestos related safety and
health rules may remove and dispose of asbestos-containing building materials.
The two recent inspections of Above & Beyond each uncovered
several similar violations. One worksite involved the emergency removal of
boiler insulation in a Seattle apartment complex, and the other concerned the
removal of asbestos popcorn ceiling material in a single-family residence.
In both cases, the workers did not use proper safety
equipment, required air sampling was not performed, and asbestos-containing
material was left exposed to the public and was improperly taken through public
areas. Asbestos-containing dust can harm both workers and the public until it is
eliminated.
The two inspections resulted in multiple willful and serious
violations. A willful violation is one where L&I finds evidence of plain
indifference or an intentional disregard to a hazard or rule.
Above &
Beyond has been cited in the past for similar violations and has been
identified by L&I as a severe violator -- a
designation that carries consequences, such as follow-up inspections at any of
their facilities or sites that could have similar hazards.
The employer
has 15 business days to appeal the citations.
Penalty
money paid as a result of a citation is placed in the workers' compensation
supplemental pension fund, helping injured workers and families of those who
have died on the job.
For a copy of
the citations, please contact Public Affairs at 360-902-5413.
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For media information: Frank Ameduri, L&I Public Affairs, 360-902-5413.
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