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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
today issued citations with proposed penalties totaling $1,650,325 to seven
contractors for allegedly violating asbestos and lead standards during a
demolition and salvage project at the site of the former Greater Pittsburgh
International Airport terminal.
HDR Engineering, Inc. of Omaha, Neb., the project's
construction manager for Allegheny County, the property owner, received 22
willful violations, and one serious citation, for a total of $1,397,000 in
proposed penalties. The remaining $253,325 in proposed penalties resulted from
citations issued to an engineering firm and five subcontractors.
"The general contractor in this project knew the existence
and location of lead and asbestos in the terminal, knew the dangers of exposure
and knew of the requirements for personal protective equipment for exposed
workers," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Gregory R. Watchman, who
heads OSHA. "HDR also possessed plans that specifically detailed precautionary
measures to safely remove asbestos-containing material, but the company ignored
the measures and sent dozens of workers into the terminal at their peril. This
demonstrates blatant disregard for worker safety."
HDR was originally hired to plan the asbestos abatement
and demolition of the old airport terminal building, first opened in 1953.
Project plans called for removing the asbestos and lead hazards prior to the
commencement of actual demolition operations. However, Allegheny County
approved HDR's proposal to allow contractors to salvage equipment, furniture
and metals, including copper pipes and aluminum window frames prior to removing
the asbestos and lead from the building.
OSHA's inspection, resulting from referral by the
Environmental Protection Agency, revealed that asbestos-containing material,
including sprayed on fireproofing, pipe insulation, plaster, window caulking
and floor tiles, as well as lead bearing paint was grossly disturbed during the
salvage operation, yet the companies failed to protect their workers from
exposure to these hazards. Approximately 60 construction workers were exposed
to both lead and asbestos during this construction project.
The instance-by-instance willful violations proposed
against HDR involve violations of the construction asbestos standard, including
failure to ensure that exposed employees were adequately trained in the hazards
of asbestos and, as the general contractor, failure to ensure required
compliance by other contractors on the project. Citations issued include
failure to make an initial exposure assessment and failure to ensure that
employees were not exposed to asbestos fibers in excess of OSHA's exposure
limits. Additional violations include lack of respiratory protection,
protective clothing or a decontamination area, and allowing employees to eat
and smoke in areas exposed to asbestos fibers.
HDR also received violations of the construction lead
standard for failure to make an initial determination of lead exposure and
failure to provide respirators, protective clothing, a change area or hand
washing facilities. Citations were also issued for failing to ensure employees
working around live electrical circuits were adequately protected from
electrocution hazards.
I.C.F. Kaiser Corp., Fairfax, Va., an engineering firm
which acted as a gatekeeper during the final two weeks, received two willful
citations with proposed penalties of $110,000, alleging failure to perform
asbestos exposure monitoring, and failure to train employees regarding lead
hazards. The following subcontractors each received serious citations for
alleged lead and asbestos violations: Menzock Scrap, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.
($55,200 proposed penalty); JK Salvage, Glassport, Pa. ($57,900); Geneva
College, Beaver Falls, Pa. ($17,250); Montour Development Co., Coraopolis, Pa.
($7,800 ); and Halama Brothers Electrical, Inc., Monaca, Pa. ($5,175).
Willful violations are those committed with an intentional
disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the OSH Act and
regulations.
A serious violation is defined as one in which there is
substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and
the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.
Each company has 15 working days to contest the citations
and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health
Review Commission.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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