Contractor Fined For Improperly Cleaning Up Asbestos at High School
Written by James P. Nevin
In Myrtle Point, Oregon, an environmental cleanup firm was issued a penalty fine for allegedly improperly handling asbestos at Myrtle Point High School.
A $4,800 fine was issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to Koos Environmental, an asbestos contractor out of Coos Bay. Koos Enviromental was penalized for failing to properly wet friable asbestos material during a summer asbestos removal project at the high school.
They also neglected to use a negative pressure enclosure during the removal of asbestos pipe insulation. The project required the use of this enclosure to reduce the risk of asbestos fibers releasing into the air. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality stated that when the asbestos-containing material was not wetted, the company risked exposing workers to dangerous asbestos fibers. These fibers can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
Koos Enviromental is appealing the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s citation and plans to meet with state staff to discuss ways to resolve the penalty.
A $4,800 fine was issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to Koos Environmental, an asbestos contractor out of Coos Bay. Koos Enviromental was penalized for failing to properly wet friable asbestos material during a summer asbestos removal project at the high school.
