March 24th, 2006

A Salem based firm has been fined tens of thousands of dollars after it was found guilty of asbestos violations. West Hills was found guilty in a US District Court earlier in the week, where Judge Anna Brown ordered the firm to pay $45,000 for the improper handling and disposal of asbestos during an apartment building demolition in 2004.

The incident tool place when a number of workers from the firm demolished the apartment building which was filled with huge quantities of materials that contained asbestos. The materials were crushed through the use of bulldozers and the debris was then loaded up and dumped at a construction site.

The workers did not have the appropriate licence for the abatement of asbestos, as is required by law. It was found that they had not treated the materials before disposal in order to minimize on asbestos dust and exposure, nor had they properly disposed of the materials afterwards.

In addition to the fine, the company will also receive two years probation. One official stated: "It is the court's expectation that the corporation now will take seriously its responsibility in the corporate community."