Washington L&I Fines Asbestos Removal Company $800,000 for Safety Violations
The agency found that Seattle Asbestos of Washington exposed workers and homeowners to significant hazards.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- May 30, 2024
Recent inspections by the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) revealed that Seattle Asbestos of Washington—a Lynnwood, Washington-based asbestos removal contractor—has been fined nearly $800,000 for repeated hazard exposure.
According to a recent release, L&I found Seattle Asbestos in violation at two job sites in Western Washington, following inspections conducted at homes in Mountlake Terrace and Ferndale. These ultimately uncovered over 35 willful health and safety violations.
Violations at both sites included malfunctioning equipment meant to clean the air, uncovered household items, improperly stored drywall and a lack of protective drop cloths. In addition, inspectors at the Mountlake Terrace site found plastic barriers with large holes meant to contain airborne asbestos particles. And Ferndale employees were leaving the regulated area without protective clothing or using required onsite showers.
Following these violations, L&I ordered the company to cease work at both sites until these issues were resolved. The agency is currently moving to revoke the company’s certification to perform asbestos work in Washington, which could prevent the asbestos supervisors to do this work. Seattle Asbestos has appealed the fines for both cases.
“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,” Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, said in a statement.
This isn’t Seattle Asbestos of Washington’s first brush with safety violations. At five previous inspections, L&I discovered that the company left asbestos-containing material behind or otherwise violated measures established to protect individuals from the effects of asbestos, which is known to cause fatal diseases such as lung cancer.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.