Asbestos Removed from another Newton Fire Station
Abatement professionals cleared asbestos from
According to an article in the Newton TAB, both trucks and firefighters on shift during the cleanup, which occurred last Saturday and Sunday, were removed from the station and sent to different parts of the district to stand by in case of an emergency.
Jeremy Solomon, a spokesman for the mayor’s office, claims that the asbestos found in the heating pipe elbows and certain tiles was not friable but was removed anyway as a precaution.
“We’ve never had a positive airborne sample taken,” Solomon said. “The asbestos never posed a safety hazard to the occupants.”
However, samples taken about a month ago showed that though asbestos was not airborne, four instances of friable asbestos were indeed discovered. According to the article, the report noted that damaged pipe fitting containing asbestos was found in the “boiler room, tire-check room, first-floor bath, hall at the first-floor bath, closet at the first-floor bath, apparatus floor at the new valves and random areas” as well as four other areas through the station.
Of the material inspected in the boiler room, 35 percent was chrysotile asbestos and according to the report, the material was “damaged” and “friable.” Of the material found insulating pipelines, 10 percent was found to be chrysotile, and the material was also damaged and friable.
Fire Union President Tom Lopez says he knew about the damaged asbestos. “I don’t know how they categorize it as friable or non-friable, it’s asbestos and it becomes airborne when people physically damage it,” Lopez said. “To me, it becomes airborne when they break the elbows apart.”
“I’m glad that the city took steps to remedy the problem,” Lopez said. “It’s unfortunate that we had to close the station for eight to 10 hours to do this, but it’s definitely necessary.” Now, how are we going to deal with the rest of the stations?”