City crews exposed to asbestos, worker claims

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090302/NEWS/903020308

State occupational safety and health officials are investigating Central Point employee's report about demolition of a house on Manzanita Street

March 02, 2009
By BUFFY POLLOCK
for the Mail Tribune

CENTRAL POINT — Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division officials are investigating claims by a city employee that demolition of a century-old house at 712 Manzanita St. exposed city work crews to asbestos.

Oregon OSHA spokeswoman Melanie Mesaros confirmed an investigation was under way but could not release specific details other than to say samples were taken from the now-empty site, the results of which could be received within two weeks.

According to Public Works Director Bob Pierce, an unidentified city employee reported the alleged exposure to the state occupational health division, Department of Environmental Quality and Rogue Disposal officials a week after the demolition, done Feb. 11, was complete and debris had already been hauled away.

While Mesaros would not comment on the specific case, she said special ground testing can usually be done to determine the presence of asbestos-containing materials.

Pierce said the two-story house, which burned in 2005 and was uninhabitable, was thoroughly inspected by a city building official before demolition, and that "little or no dust" was evident during the job, which took about 20 minutes to complete.

Property owner Bob Medcalf was unavailable for comment.

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