Climate significantly impacts workplace safety and health. As global warming increases, and changing weather patterns become more pronounced, workers’ compensation insurance systems will be stressed to limits never before imagined.
Since the inception of US workers’ compensation legislation almost a century ago, climate extremes have been causally related to compensable events in both a traumatic and occupational exposure setting. Whether it be periods of extreme temperatures or significant storm, i.e.. Hurricane Sandy, weather patterns are reaching new record breaking levels and causing increased levels of occupation injuries and illnesses already.
Showing posts with label demolition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label demolition. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Friday, November 1, 2013
Former Winchester, Idaho hotel owner settles with EPA for asbestos demolition violations
(Seattle – October 28, 2013) BBA Winchester LLC, the owner of a former hotel located in Winchester, Idaho has settled with EPA and agreed to pay a $21,000 fine for asbestos safety and environmental violations from improper demolition of the hotel.
“This is an unfortunate example that when asbestos is not properly removed before demolition, the entire debris pile becomes contaminated, putting people at risk, and greatly increasing disposal costs,” said Scott Downey, Manager of the Air and Hazardous Waste Compliance Unit at the EPA Seattle office. “Because this owner failed to check for asbestos before demolition, their $2,000 demolition project ballooned into a $55,000 asbestos waste cleanup and disposal problem.”In response to public complaints, EPA inspected the demolition site of the former hotel in 2012. BBA Winchester LLC demolished the 100-year-old hotel in late 2011 or early 2012, without first inspecting the building for asbestos, removing asbestos materials, or notifying EPA, as required by law. The demolition was in a residential neighborhood and the contaminated debris was unsecured for more than a year, prompting community concerns about asbestos health risks. EPA inspectors collected samples from the site that showed the demolition debris contained regulated asbestos waste. After confirming the debris was... |
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Canadian Asbestos Register of Public Buildings Now On-Line
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| Deadly asbestos building materials remain in many structures |
In an effort to protect workers and public from deadly asbetsos fiber, the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan has now mandated that builings containing asbestos fiber be publically listed and the list published to the Internet.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral which was widely used in the manufacture of a variety of products beginning in the late nineteenth century. Although the majority of exposure to asbestos occurred between 1940 and 1980, in occupations such as construction, shipyards, railroads, insulation, sheet metal, automobile repair, and other related fields, exposure coninutes to this day. Asbestos fibers are inhaled by workers and remain in the lungs where they can cause disease, ie. asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Fibers are also inhalled by family members or any other person coming into contact with asbestos whereever it may be. We believe that the evidence shows that the companies which manufactured these products knew that their products would injure people, and that they actively conspired to hide this information in order to keep selling their products, and as a result they are now being held liable for the resulting injuries.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral which was widely used in the manufacture of a variety of products beginning in the late nineteenth century. Although the majority of exposure to asbestos occurred between 1940 and 1980, in occupations such as construction, shipyards, railroads, insulation, sheet metal, automobile repair, and other related fields, exposure coninutes to this day. Asbestos fibers are inhaled by workers and remain in the lungs where they can cause disease, ie. asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Fibers are also inhalled by family members or any other person coming into contact with asbestos whereever it may be. We believe that the evidence shows that the companies which manufactured these products knew that their products would injure people, and that they actively conspired to hide this information in order to keep selling their products, and as a result they are now being held liable for the resulting injuries.
Required Notifications of High Risk Asbestos Processes
When a process is considered a “high-risk asbestos process,” employers, contractors or owners are required to notify the Occupational Health and Safety Division of the intention to begin the work, at least 14 days in advance.
Learn more about what a high-risk process is (see Table 5 on page 258 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations) and how to submit a notification.
Learn more about what a high-risk process is (see Table 5 on page 258 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations) and how to submit a notification.
Saskatchewan Asbestos Register of Public Buildings
The Saskatchewan Asbestos Register (SAR) has been created to share information about public buildings assessed for the presence of asbestos. Provincial and municipal governments, regional health authorities, and school districts have been invited to list this information for government buildings, healthcare facilities, and schools.
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Jon L.Gelman of Wayne NJ, helping asbestos victims and their families for over 4 decades, is the author NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson).
Read more about asbestos
Nov 08, 2012
Today in Boston a steam pipe burst near Boston City Hall exposing the population to cancer causing asbestos fiber. Asbestos continues to be a major health hazard since it remains in construction material exposuing workers ...
Nov 04, 2012
The path of destruction to buildings caused by hurricane Sandy has created a potential threat of deadly asbestos exposure. Many structures destroyed and damaged by the storm contained asbestos fiber and those were ...
Oct 18, 2012
Workers continue to be exposed to asbestos during removal and abatement projects. It is imperative that asbestos be removed in a safe and prescribed manner to avoid any unnecessary disease and illness. Merely "dumping" ...
Sep 14, 2012
"Asbestos is an extremely hazardous material that can potentially cause lifelong, irreversible health conditions," said John Hermanson, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "It is imperative that OSHA's safety and health ...
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