Hotel Owner Fined for Use of Untrained Workers to Remove Asbestos
Friday, January 26, 2018 | 0
A Seattle hotel owner faces $355,000 in fines for using untrained workers to remove asbestos and not informing them about the hazardous materials they were handling, the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries announced.
During a renovation project, a contractor discovered that parts of the ceiling in the lobby of the Seattle Pacific Hotel was originally constructed using cement boards that contained asbestos.
Asbestos was commonly used as a fireproofing material in construction project, but use of the material has greatly diminished since the 1970s when it was discovered the mineral can cause cancer.
When products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny fibers are released in the air that can be breathed in and cause asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Property owners are required to hire certified abatement contractors to remove and dispose of building materials containing asbestos. Rak Nariya, owner of the Seattle Pacific Hotel, received an estimate from a certified contractor to remove the concrete boards in the ceiling, but “decided to cut corners and save money by removing it using untrained workers,” the department said.
L&I issued a stop-work order in July 2017 when it discovered that Nariya was using workers not trained to safely remove asbestos-laden materials. The department on Monday said it fined the hotel $355,000 for exposing workers to asbestos, failing to provide respiratory protection and leaving asbestos debris onsite. The hotel was also cited for not taking an air-quality sample before removing the materials.
Seattle Pacific Hotel has 15 days to appeal the citation.
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