OSHA fines city for asbestos violations

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090522/NEWS/905220333

Safety officials say Central Point didn't properly protect workers from exposure

May 22, 2009
By buffy pollock for the Mail Tribune

CENTRAL POINT — City officials failed to protect workers from possible asbestos exposure during demolition of a century-old house on Manzanita Street in mid-February, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found.

While only a trace amount of asbestos was found in small scraps of debris from the property, the city was cited by Oregon OSHA officials for a handful of procedural violations ranging from training requirements for asbestos handling to special respirators and clothing required for working on structures built before 1980.

The city was fined $815 for the violations on Monday.

"Despite no asbestos being found on the site, it doesn't mean they followed all the rules," said Oregon OSHA spokesperson Melanie Mesaros.

"Basically, they were supposed to have told the employees there was potentially asbestos there or that the material could have contained asbestos. They were then supposed to have actually tested for it before they started working."

Public Works Director Bob Pierce said city officials reviewed rules for the Department of Environmental Quality and OSHA and that the site was exempt from most precautions under DEQ standards.

"The outcome was we made some mistakes and we fessed up to those and were fined $815," Pierce said.

FULL story at link.