Workers Worried About Asbestos In School -- MesoLink.org -- 09-06-05

Workers have expressed concerns over the presence of asbestos at John M. Conroy School. The workers that have been renovating the school are being represented by a union, and the concern is over asbestos that was improperly stored in a closet. Union representatives have stated that asbestos should have been taken off the site immediately and not simply placed into an unmarked closet.

The job supervisor had stated that at first everything seemed to be going fine with regards to asbestos removal and disposal, until the discovery of the bags in the closet was made. He stated: "It should have been moved -- if it is, in fact, asbestos material, it should have been removed. I'll have the company properly remove it all and I'll investigate it."

The contractor has been cited on two counts of asbestos violations by the County health department, and investigations are also being carried out by OSHA.

County officials have stated however that the building is safe: "We can tell you that the areas where the work has been completed are clean. Those areas have been tested, samples have been taken -- air samples have been taken; no asbestos has been found in those air samples."