February 26th, 2008

Several employees of a New York town are upset that they conducted demolition on pipes containing asbestos. The workers were not told the pipes contained the deadly substance.

Demolition work occurring at a New York treatment plant may have put several employees at risk of asbestos exposure. The town employees were removing concrete piping in the sewage plant, and were working for several hours before thinking the piping may contain asbestos. When architectural plans were consulted, it was found that the piping did contain asbestos. The employees are alleging that the town was trying to save money by having them remove the asbestos piping, but plant officials said it was an honest mistake. The room has since been sealed, and a licensed abatement contractor has been hired to complete the work.

The piping was not thought to contain asbestos, since normally concrete pipes containing asbestos are buried. Breaking apart asbestos can cause the material to become airborne, and handling the substance without protective gear can lead to asbestos-related diseases. Town officials said the piping did not contain the type of asbestos normally associated with mesothelioma or asbestosis, diseases caused by asbestos exposure. As a precaution, though, a licensed professional will now remove the remaining material.