Ohio and other states have a number of stringent laws and regulations governing working with asbestos. While the specifics may vary from place to place, the stipulations exist to protect both workers and the public from the hazards associated with asbestos exposure. In another state, two defendants who allegedly failed to follow such protocols have settled in a lawsuit against them.
The defendants – a contractor and an asbestos abatement company – settled for $215,000 in the lawsuit brought against them by the state Attorney General. They stood accused of illegal asbestos work at development projects, including failure to comply with their state’s clean air law. They also failed to follow regulations for the handling of asbestos at construction projects.
Allegedly, the defendants either directly removed or allowed the removal of materials that contained asbestos without properly ventilating work areas or sealing them off. In addition, the defendants were also accused of leaving asbestos visible and storing torn, unsealed bags of a dry and broken asbestos-containing material in an easily accessible location. Furthermore, according to the complaint, one of the defendants failed to properly survey areas and notify the state’s Department of Environmental Protection before demolishing and removing materials containing asbestos.
The lawsuit accuses one defendant of polluting the air with asbestos when an underground asbestos-containing pipe was crushed into small, dry pieces, which were then scattered about the property. Essentially, according to the complaint, one defendant failed entirely to follow any of the required safety practices and, in doing so, endangered the health and safety of both the public and the company’s employees. It is to be hoped that no current Ohio-based companies would so blatantly disregard asbestos regulations, but in cases where asbestos exposure has caused serious injury, it’s beneficial to note the existence of an experienced asbestos litigation attorney in the Cleveland area who could offer legal counsel and guidance regarding possible options.
Source: cdrecycler.com, “Massachusetts AG settles asbestos storage claims”, Dan Sandoval, Jan. 9, 2018
