An asbestos removal contractor in the Seattle area is facing nearly $800,000 in government fines for not following health and safety procedures, exposing employees and homeowners to deadly diseases such as mesothelioma. 

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) issued the fines against Seattle Asbestos of Washington after inspecting two of the company’s job sites in the western portion of the state. L&I found more than 35 willful violations. 

At the first location, a Mountlake Terrace home, inspectors saw holes in plastic barriers meant to seal off an area from airborne asbestos particles. According to L&I, the holes were big enough to put a camera through to take pictures.  

At the other home, in Ferndale, inspectors witnessed employees leaving the regulated work area without any protective clothing or respirators. The workers also didn’t use the onsite showers required at asbestos removal jobs.

More Details On Seattle Asbestos’ Wrongdoing

L&I found the following violations of basic asbestos-removal regulations at both Seattle Asbestos job sites:

• Equipment to clean harmful particles from the air was not working correctly.
• Workers failed to cover a dishwasher, water heater, and wood stove with plastic to seal them from particles.
• Multiple respirators for workers were inside containment areas, exposing employees to contamination.
• A large pile of drywall on the living room carpet was not bagged or saturated with water to keep the dust down.
• No plastic drop cloths were placed in the work area.

“These are certified asbestos supervisors, working for a certified asbestos abatement contractor, who know the rules but have demonstrated time and again they will not prioritize the safety or the health of workers or customers,” said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, in a press release. 

Seattle Asbestos filed an appeal in the first case but did not contest the second. 

This isn’t the first time L&I has caught the company being careless of its workers’ and customers’ health and safety. According to the agency, five inspections have revealed that Seattle Asbestos left hazardous material behind or ignored other crucial regulations.  

At the Ferndale location, the company left a large amount of crumbling insulation containing asbestos all over the home’s basement after leaving the site. 

The Dangers of Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos was commonly used in construction materials before 1990 when researchers found exposure to the substance can result in lung disease asbestosis and various forms of cancer. Even a tiny amount of exposure can be fatal. Those who work in high-risk occupations, such as the building trades, are in the most danger. 

Those exposed to asbestos might develop asbestosis five to 10 years later, but sometimes, the latency period lasts 40 years. Cancer development, including mesothelioma, typically takes 30-40 years. 

L&I has begun revoking Seattle’s Asbestos state certification. The agency could also ban the two job site supervisors from doing asbestos removal work for Seattle Asbestos or any other contractor.