OSHA cites 6 Chicago-area companies for worker
exposure to asbestos, silica and lead during repairs at Evanston, Illinois,
school
Dec. 30, 2014
EVANSTON,
Ill. – Workers from six separate companies renovating Chute
Middle School's cafeteria in Evanston were exposed to asbestos, lead
and electrical hazards, the U.S. Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Illinois Department of
Public Health has determined. Staff and students were on summer break during
the July 2014 inspection, which was initiated after OSHA received a complaint
that alleged workers were exposed to asbestos and silica on the site.
OSHA has proposed a combined total of $132,040 in
penalties to the six companies, which include Nicholas & Associates Inc.,
of Mount Prospect; F.E. Moran Inc., of Northbrook; Environmental Services Firm
Inc., of Evanston; DeKalb Mechanical Inc., of DeKalb; ASAP Environmental Inc.,
of Cicero; and B.B. Construction Enterprise Inc., of Chicago.
The Illinois Department of Public Health coordinated
with OSHA in the investigation. The state may take legal action against
entities licensed or regulated by the state that violated state law. Legal
action may include, but not be limited to, civil penalties or adverse licensure
action consistent with state law.
"Exposure to asbestos is a dangerous workplace
issue that can cause loss of lung function and cancer, among other serious
health effects, and workers must be trained in procedures that minimize
exposure. Workers should never be put at risk because a company failed to
protect them from a known, dangerous substance," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's
area director at the Chicago North Area Office in Des Plaines.
OSHA's inspection found that onsite asbestos consultant
Environmental Services Firm directed F.E. Moran to remove 60 feet of piping
that contained asbestos insulation. F.E. Moran did not require its employees to
implement engineering controls to limit asbestos exposure or to wear personal
protective equipment while cutting the pipes for removal, which created the
potential for released asbestos fibers.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was
used in some building materials before its dangerous health effects were
discovered. Fibers are released into the air during activities, such as cutting
pipes, which disturb asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos fibers cannot be
seen, and can be inhaled into the lungs unknowingly. If swallowed, the fibers
can embed in the digestive tract.
OSHA cited F.E. Moran for 10 serious violations, which
included failure to comply with existing regulations; failure to determine
whether work with asbestos complied with standards; and lack of training and
respiratory protection. The violations carry $47, 500 in proposed penalties.
The agency cited Environmental Services Firm for two
willful violations for failure to conduct air sampling and initial exposure
assessment for asbestos on the project. The company faces penalties of $55,000.
A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary
disregard for the law's requirement, or with plain indifference to employee
safety and health.
ASAP Environmental received two serious violations for
failure to ensure a competent person conducted exposure monitoring and
supervised asbestos removal. The company faces fines of $4,000.
Nicholas & Associates, the general contractor
onsite, was cited for directing F.E. Moran's employees to cut the pipes
containing asbestos without taking the required precautions. Inspectors also
found electrical safety violations. The inspection resulted in two serious
violations, carrying proposed penalties of $10,150.
OSHA cited DeKalb Mechanical for four serious
violations, carrying proposed penalties of $13,860, for exposing workers to
lead-based paint, respirator and hazard communication hazards.
B.B. Construction Enterprises was cited for one serious
violation, carrying proposed penalties of $1,530, for failure to collect and
properly dispose of debris from asbestos removal operations. An OSHA violation
is serious if death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an
employer knew or should have known exists.
Each of the six companies has 15 business days from
receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal
conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the
independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a
complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing
imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at
800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Chicago North Area Office at 847-803-4800.
Under the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and
healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these
conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing
standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information,
visit http://www.osha.gov.
