January 30th, 2008

All work has halted at a Massachusetts high school until an asbestos abatement plan is approved. Contractors discovered asbestos-covered pipes while working on the floor of an old building.

The discovery of asbestos wrapped piping in a Massachusetts high school has halted renovations on one building until a plan has been approved by the Department of Environmental Protection to remove the hazardous substance. Though classes have continued while the renovations were being completed, no one was at risk of asbestos related illnesses. The contractor that found the asbestos on the pipe insulation was already taking abatement precautions at the site, since some of the old flooring contained asbestos as well. Renovation work, however, will not continue until the DEP has approved the amended renovation plans.

The contractors were acting appropriately to redraw renovation plans, since asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, emphysema and asbestosis. Asbestos normally does not pose a risk unless it is mishandled, a situation the city contractor has avoided. Asbestos related diseases, including a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma, could be deadly, making proper asbestos abatement a necessity. Workers had already been containing the known asbestos by sealing off areas under renovations and by wetting down areas known to contain asbestos.