connelly-asbestos-law

High Number Of Asbestos-Related Deaths In Philadelphia

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:51:45 GMT

High Number of Asbestos-Related Deaths in Philadelphia

A new study has reported that the Philadelphia region is one of the worst in the country in regards to having a higher than the national average number of deaths related to asbestos. Throughout the United States, approximately 5 out of 100,000 deaths are caused from an asbestos-related disease or illness, according to the report by the Environmental Working Group Action Fund.

In Delaware County, this number goes up to 12.9 deaths out of 100,000 and from 1999 to 2013, there were 1,078 residents who passed away because of an asbestos-related disease.

The report took a combination of federal death records from mesothelioma and asbestosis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and utilized a formula that was designed by international cancer researchers from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which gave an estimate for asbestos-causing lung cancer fatalities.

In the area, other counties that also had a higher than average amount of asbestos-related illnesses are:

Montgomery County: 1,272 deaths (1999-2013), 10.8 mortality rate per year
Bucks County: 747 deaths (1999-2013), 8.0 mortality rate per year
Chester County: 439 deaths (1999-2013), 6.1 mortality rate per year
Philadelphia County: 1,345 deaths (1999-2013), 5.9 mortality rate per year

Asbestos is a natural fiber that can be woven into fabrics, and was used in fire-resistant and insulating materials. Asbestos was used for many years in insulation, floor tiling, asbestos roof sheeting, brake pads and siding. Contractors commonly used asbestos products because the products were durable and extremely resistant to heat.

Asbestos becomes extremely dangerous when it is released into the air. The asbestos fibers can enter your body in one of three ways:

Inhalation-The most common way that asbestos enters the body. If you breathe air that has asbestos-containing fibers in it, you can become exposed to the critical illnesses that asbestos causes.
Ingestion-You can ingest asbestos fibers from drinking water.
Through your Skin-It is very rare, but asbestos fibers that come into contact with your skin can pass through the skin into your body.

O ut of all of the United States, Philadelphia ranks third for having the highest number of deaths for that 14 year period and they had over 14,200 residents that died because of an asbestos-related disease. Out of that number, almost 5,000 of those deaths occurred in one of the counties in Pennsylvania that was discussed above.
California and Florida are the only other states that had more residents pass away from an asbestos-related disease during that time period.

Sumner Courthouse Gets Approval For Funds To Clean Asbestos

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:50:34 GMT

Sumner Courthouse Gets Approval for Funds to Clean Asbestos

Asbestos was discovered early in March in the Sumner Courthouse when a cleanup crew was doing some mold remediation as a part of the $350,000 that was being used to make upgrades to the courthouse on the Square and the Juvenile Courthouse in Gallatin. Since discovering the asbestos, up to $200,000 of emergency funds have been allocated to clean the asbestos from the courthouse and the adult probation building in Gallatin, according to officials.

The money to remove the asbestos was approved by the budget committee members and was granted based on an estimate that was given by county Grant Administrator, Kim Ark. The money will come out of the $70 million bond that was approved in 2015. Ark said that the asbestos cleanup will be finished no later than April.

Asbestos used to be thought of as an incredible product because it seemed to be great for construction because it was inexpensive, a great insulator and is incredibly resistant to heat. Asbestos was widely used in a variety of buildings, with the Sumner Courthouse being one of them.

If the asbestos is disturbed, tiny fibers are released into the air and that can then be inhaled. Asbestos can lead to very severe and fatal illnesses, including lung disease and mesothelioma, which is an aggressive type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The latency period for mesothelioma is incredibly long, and can take anywhere from 20-40 years for symptoms to develop.

The mold remediation on the courthouse has been halted until the asbestos can be safely removed. The asbestos was found in the boiler room and also on the basement floor tile, air handler unit closet tile and ceiling spray at the adult probation building. Also, some water line insulation also tested positive for asbestos at the courthouse. Officials said that they will not disturb the waterline though, since it was installed in 1939 and is almost ready to be replaced.

Ark said, “We’re currently doing an evaluation of all of our county buildings for maintenance issues and replacing the water line will be on the priority list. Some of the floor tile also tested positive for asbestos but we’re also not disturbing it and as long as you’re not disturbing the asbestos, there’s no exposure.”

It is not unusual to have found asbestos in the courthouse, since it is almost 80 years old. The EPA did not ban using most asbestos-containing materials until 1973-1989. Sumner County Executive, Anthony Holt said, “It is not all over the place. We’ll clean it up before anybody is exposed to anything dangerous. We don’t want to take any chances so it does not become a health hazard.”

What You Need To Know About Asbestos

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:49:17 GMT

What You Need To Know About Asbestos

Unfortunately, there have been recent reports that show an increase in asbestos-related diseases, even though asbestos is not being used like it used to. The question then becomes, why are there more cases of asbestos-related illnesses and other lung diseases even though asbestos is not being used industrially anymore?

Asbestos was once thought of as a “miracle mineral,” and numerous industries throughout the world used this material because it was incredibly resistant to heat, was a great material for insulating and it was cost-effective. Asbestos was used up until the 1970s, because that was when the harmful effects of asbestos became known.

The problem with asbestos comes from when the material is disturbed. When disturbed, tiny invisible fibers are let out into the air that can then be inhaled. Once these asbestos fibers are inside the body, they can cause thickening, calcium deposits or an accumulation of fluid in the tissue around the lungs or scarring of the lungs. There are also instances in which the fibers can cause lung cancer or cancer of the mesothelial tissue, called mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an incredibly serious disease that encases the lungs and makes it increasingly difficult to breath. There is no cure for mesothelioma and even if patients are given the best treatments, over half of them will die within one year of being diagnosed.

The reason that there is an increase in asbestos-related diseases is that the latency period for mesothelioma is very long and it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years for symptoms to develop. That means that people who are being diagnosed now, may have been exposed back in the 1970s or 1980s.

Many of the people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma do not even remember a time when they were exposed to asbestos, since it was most likely many years ago. Even though asbestos is not being used for new building construction, asbestos may still be present in older homes or buildings. Many people are completely unaware that this hazardous material is in the walls or floors of the home in which they live or the building that they work in.

If asbestos is not touched, it is not harmful. Asbestos only becomes dangerous if it is disrupted, which typically occurs if there is construction or a renovation. Therefore, if you are planning to do any work on a home or building that is older, you should make sure that you have it checked for asbestos first. Renovations and construction can still be done once a professional has taken the proper steps to remove the asbestos safely.

Teacher Passes Away Form Asbestos Exposure In The UK

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:48:19 GMT

Teacher Passes Away From Asbestos Exposure in the UK

Last week the tragic story about an elementary school teacher who passed away after being diagnosed with cancer was reported and the illness was a result of her exposure to asbestos in the workplace. Elizabeth Belt was 68 years old and had been battling mesothelioma for three years, which is a lung cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Her death was investigated and it was discovered that she had regularly pinned her students’ work to asbestos boards at different schools across North Lincolnshire, which is where she used to work.

Before Ms. Belt passed away, she gave a detailed statement in which she recalled her years that she spent in schools in which she was exposed to asbestos before it became banned in the 1980s. Her statement said that her first teaching job was in 1968 in a primary school in Brigg County and the classrooms “would seem a bit dusty. There may have been exposure to asbestos at the infant section of the school. There were large sections of boarding where the children’s work was displayed and there would be a change of work every two to three weeks.”

Ten years later, Ms. Belt started to work at Baysgarth School, in Barton-upon-Humber. In her statement she said, “They had that same boarding and there was constant pinning and removing. There was considerable use of a staple gun.”

Paul Kelly, the coroner, reported that her death was the result of an industrial disease. Kelly stated, “I have no doubt that Mum contracted malignant mesothelioma as a result of ingesting asbestos while working as a teacher at various schools in north Lincolnshire between 1968 and 1995.”

It was publicized that North Lincolnshire Council’s insurers settled a personal injury claim with Belt’s family, but the amount of compensation was not disclosed. This heartbreaking story showcases that there is a pretty big problem with asbestos in the UK.

Belt’s daughter, Charlotte Shearwood said that she wants to raise awareness about mesothelioma, “It is a horrible, horrible disease. There is obviously a generation that worked with her in the same places. I suppose we are all angry, but I just think our sadness outweighs it.”

Liz Darlison, the director of services for the charity, Mesothelioma UK, stated, “This is a preventable, currently incurable, occupational disease. Many of our schools, public buildings and homes still contain asbestos and we owe it to future generations to address this public health disaster now.”

She also added: “Sincere condolences to Elizabeth Belt’s family and friends and thank you for sharing the experience which is a powerful message to us all. As a nation we have a humane responsibility to do more to improve outcomes for those affected and to make this disease history.”

Leominister Contractor Pays Fines For Asbestos Violations

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:47:04 GMT

LEOMINSTER CONTRACTOR PAYS FINES FOR ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS

In Boston, a Leominster asbestos-abatement contractor from A & E Environmental is required to pay a penalty of $14,312 after it was established that they violated the asbestos regulations of their state by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. This is their second violation within a year’s time.

In May 2014, A & E Environmental had to pay a fine of $19,312 when they violated asbestos regulations at a residential building that was located in Millbury. A & E Environmental ended up only paying $5,000 of the penalty since MassDEP suspended the rest of it, provided that the company did not have any more violations for a year.

Unfortunately, MassDEP discovered a new asbestos violation on Dec. 30, 2014 at a job the company was working on that was located on Lake Street in Shrewsbury. A & E Environmental had failed to sufficiently seal their work area and they also failed to use a HEPA-filtered air ventilation system that is necessary to control the asbestos fibers. Since these new violations came to light, a “Demand for Payment” was issued to A & E Environmental by MassDEP to obtain the rest of the penalty that had been suspended, which was $14,312.50.

In addition to the fine, the company also is required to correct the violations at the location in Shrewsbury. MassDEP’s regulations state that the area that is being worked on must be completely sealed off and air filtration equipment must be operated while the asbestos is being removed, in addition to other stipulations. These requirements are in place to protect the public from asbestos fibers that could get released into the air and to prevent other parts of the building from becoming contaminated as well.

Before any company starts doing any type of removal work of asbestos, they are required to notify MassDEP 10 working days before the work will begin to allow MassDEP the opportunity to have a thorough inspection to make sure they are following the safety regulations.

Mary Jude Pisgley, the director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester stated, “Licensed asbestos abatement contractors are aware of the work practices that must be followed to conduct their work safely and in compliance with the regulations. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and following those work practices is imperative to ensure building occupants and the general public are not exposed to asbestos fibers. Failure to do so will result in significant penalties, as well as potential licensing sanctions against the violator.”

Safely removing asbestos is critical and failure to do so can carry serious consequences. When the asbestos fibers are disturbed, harmful dust is released into the air that can then be inhaled. If you experience a prolonged exposure and if you inhale a good amount of asbestos dust, you could be at risk for developing mesothelioma, a type of cancer that is caused from exposure to asbestos.

connelly-asbestos-law

High Number Of Asbestos-Related Deaths In Philadelphia

High Number of Asbestos-Related Deaths in Philadelphia

Sumner Courthouse Gets Approval For Funds To Clean Asbestos

Sumner Courthouse Gets Approval for Funds to Clean Asbestos

What You Need To Know About Asbestos

What You Need To Know About Asbestos

Teacher Passes Away Form Asbestos Exposure In The UK

Teacher Passes Away From Asbestos Exposure in the UK

Leominister Contractor Pays Fines For Asbestos Violations

LEOMINSTER CONTRACTOR PAYS FINES FOR ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS ﻿

LEOMINSTER CONTRACTOR PAYS FINES FOR ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS