Business Owner Who Knew Better Exposed Workers to Asbestos
It may not be shocking that someone running a business may not have heard of asbestos or know its danger. You may be disappointed if they unknowingly do something stupid and expose others with the cancer-causing mineral fiber. But when a business owner repeatedly endangers others with asbestos, it’s a sign they may be cutting corners and risking their employees to save time and money.
In February, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) fined an unnamed U-Haul dealer in East Spokane $231,000 for knowingly exposing its employees to asbestos.
In 2019, U-Haul Co. of Washington bought a former K-Mart building and started renovations without testing the nearly 60-year-old building for asbestos.
Some Asbestos Tiles Removed Responsibly, Others Not
The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency states almost 90,000 square feet of mastic and vinyl floor tiles at the site contained asbestos, which causes asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. The agency fined and cited U-Haul and advised them on how to renovate the building safely.
The company coated some tiles with epoxy, and a certified asbestos company removed others, leaving about 7,400 square feet of asbestos-containing tiles.
Company mechanics told L&I inspectors that tiles started popping off the floor due to the weight of jack stands supporting vehicles above it. According to L&I, management told them to throw the tiles away in the trash, potentially endangering everyone who handled the site’s garbage.
Workers estimate they threw away 200-300 square feet of tiles before knowing they contained asbestos. Other workers used a torch, putty knives, and shovels to remove the tiles unsafely.
Same Thing, Different Place and Time
Workers lacked respirators or other personal protective equipment but used disposable gloves and safety glasses, which do nothing to prevent inhaling cancer-causing asbestos fibers. Management was aware of what was going on and encouraged it, according to L&I.
The citations and fines should have come as no surprise. In 2019, the same U-Haul business owner received citations and fines in California. Instead of hiring contractors to remove asbestos tiles safely, employees were told to use demolition equipment to remove asbestos-containing flooring at a former K-Mart building it purchased in Santa Barbara.
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Have you or a loved one been exposed to asbestos-containing floor tiles or mastics and been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease? If so, Satterley & Kelley mesothelioma attorneys can respond to your questions, discuss your rights to compensation, and what you should do to protect them.
Call our Louisville law office toll-free at 855-385-9532. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a free case consultation.