Long Island school working to remedy asbestos issues

October 17, 2009

Another Long Island school is dealing with health and safety concerns after a project on school grounds involved the mishandling of asbestos-laden materials. Workers dealing with the roof at Roosevelt High School caused a "plume of white [asbestos] dust" to be released into the air. The workers failed to properly wet down the asbestos, which would have prevented the material from becoming airborne. The workers also failed to vacuum and bag the potentially hazardous materials.

The state Department of Labor has cited a New Jersey-based contractor with five safety violations related to this matter. A department spokeswoman, Karen Williamson, told reporters that an inspector has visited the site after complaints were lodged, and the investigation into this matter is ongoing. "These are serious violations," Williamson said.

State law requires special licenses for contractors working with asbestos, because asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative mesothelioma treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years.

The asbestos-removal work by Superior Abatement Inc. of West Caldwell, New Jersey, took place for a 20-day period in September. Nick Petrovski, owner of the firm, told reporters that he fired the work crew and its supervisor as soon as the Labor Department notified him of the violations.

Kevin O’Connor, president of the local teachers union, told reporters that staff at the school had complained about the asbestos incident. Teachers at the school reported seeing piles of dust falling from the roof. "They said it looked like it was snowing," he remarked.