Contractor Loses License For Asbestos Violations -- MesoLink.org -- 05-15-06

A former contractor has had his license revoked and has been fined for asbestos violations at a downtown Roanoke building last year. He could also face felony charges as a result of the violations. According to officials and court documentation, the former contractor, John Edward Callahan, had been using homeless men with no knowledge or training in asbestos removal to remove this carcinogenic substance from the building.

Callahan has been under investigation by federal officials and the state since early 2005. As a result of these violations, Roanoke has had to adopt far tighter rules with regards to removal of asbestos from the older buildings in the area. Having admitted to the violations the former contractor could face fines of around $12,000.

Although the current investigation related to Callahan’s work on this particular Roanoke project, additional investigations may be carried out into past projects that he has worked on. This includes work carried out in Southwest Virginia, and officials there have stated that they hope to have an investigation underway soon.

Investigations commenced after authorities received an anonymous tip about Callahan’s working practices early last year. Callahan had also admitted that he had carried out asbestos work before and hadn’t realized that a license was needed for its removal.