Spokane airport cited for asbestos violations
The Spokane International Airport in Washington has been cited by the Spokane Regional Clear Air Agency for exposing employees to asbestos during a renovation project. An anonymous tip alerted officials about some carpet that was removed from the parking garage administration building last spring, because asbestos tiles and glue were disturbed during the renovations.
An asbestos survey must be conducted prior to any sort of renovation activity to determine if asbestos is present. After violating the permit and survey requirements, the Spokane International Airport went on to commit further asbestos violations when 120 square feet of asbestos material was treated as regular garbage and not sent to a special landfill.
When asbestos fibers become airborne, they can be inhaled. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, or other serious asbestos-related illnesses.
Airport officials knew about the asbestos for at least 10 days before the anonymous tip came in; it’s not the first time that the airport had done renovations involving asbestos work, so management should have known the proper procedures. The airport received a notice of violation and may face up to several thousand dollars in fines.
For the full story, go to KXLY.
