DuBose Law Firm

The Hartford Courant reported today that the University of Connecticut improperly disposed of asbestos debris when employees mistakenly threw asbestos-laden materials from the window of the president’s office during a renovation of the office. The building, it was reported, was last renovated in 1964.

Several OSHA and EPA violations were cited in an internal university memo obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Request by The Courant, including:

•No inspection was conducted to see if there was asbestos underneath the floor before it was removed.

•The asbestos-laden material was made friable when employees started sawing the floor apart, releasing the dangerous particles into the air inside the building.

•Asbestos-containing debris was thrown out the window into a trash bin at ground level without using a chute or bagging any of the material, thereby exposing anyone walking by to asbestos.

•Asbestos disturbance occurred with no employee monitoring, resulting in undocumented asbestos exposures.

•The asbestos-containing materials were not wetted or properly bagged and were disposed of in the regular trash taken to the transfer facility rather than to a special facility, as required by law.

The Courant quotes a University of Connecticut official as stating “The safety and well-being of university personnel is a paramount concern. As a result of the university’s own investigation, its office of Environmental Health and Safety is working with facilities personnel to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations regarding asbestos.”

According to the newspaper, employees cut through the floor with skill saws in order to break the floor into smaller pieces. They inquired about the mastic material but were mistakenly informed that it was asbestos free. The workers described the floor removal to be a dusty process. The workers have since been screened for asbestos disease.
Asbestos is a natural fiber which was widely used as a construction material – including vinyl asbestos floor tiles and mastics – during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause malignant mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs as well as lung cancer and asbestosis.