Mesothelioma and Asbestos Risks Result in Fines for Three Louisiana Companies

Three Baton Rouge, Louisiana companies face fines of $112,000 proposed by federal safety regulators after they failed to protect workers from possible asbestos exposure during renovations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stands to collect money from Louisiana Health Care Consultants, LLC, Dean Building Holdings and Bob Dean Enterprises, Inc. after the companies allegedly violated 13 health and safety regulations during renovations at the State National Life Building.

Asbestos regulations were put in place to protect workers and the public from the hazards associated with asbestos exposure. If toxic asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body and become lodged in organs, the particles may cause inflammation and infection. Overtime, an asbestos-related illness, such as malignant mesothelioma, may develop. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs.

“These companies failed to follow OSHA’s standards for asbestos-related projects in the construction industry,” said Dean McDaniel, OSHA’s regional administrator based in Dallas, Texas. “Employers must be committed to keeping the workplace safe and healthful to prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities.”

The allegations against the three companies stated that they failed to alert workers of the removal of a ceiling containing asbestos and did not ensure employees’ use of protective gear. The companies also did not use engineering control to minimize exposure to asbestos.

According to McDaniel, the three companies have 15 days to respond to OSHA’s proposal.

Those exposed to asbestos may not present symptoms of an asbestos-related illness until decades after initial exposure occurred. In the case of mesothelioma, this can allow the cancer to progress to later stages of development when treatment can be difficult. Though a cure for mesothelioma does not exist, many patients elect to undergo treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation or surgery to combat the cancer.

Additional information about the dangers of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 at 10:14 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Jobsite Exposure, Louisiana, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.