In Martinsburg, West Virginia, a former woolen mill repurposed into a community college and county offices is being closed on December 11 to remove asbestos discovered adjacent to a skylight in the central atrium.
The asbestos was discovered as a result of an ongoing, $4.3-million roof replacement project on the former woolen mill, which was built in the early 1900s and operated until 1953, then abandoned until repurposed in the 1980s as an outlet mall. That project also fell through, and Berkeley County bought the buildings in about 2003, leasing the first floor to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, originally housed in Shepherd University.
The original plan was to encapsulate the asbestos in the roof in situ, but that would have required adding a third layer of roofing, which is prohibited by state building laws because the excess weight threatens building stability.
Undisturbed, asbestos is harmless, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. Disturbed, it releases microscopic fibers which can, when inhaled or ingested, cause lesions in mesothelial tissue which potentially lead to lethal tumors whose long dormancy (up to five decades or more) causes a lot of vital tissue and organ damage.
By the time most mesothelioma patients experience symptoms severe enough to send them to a doctor, the tumors are well advanced and the prognosis is, typically, a year to 18 months to live. This prognosis is only slightly altered by radical treatment protocols including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, but new hope for mesothelioma patients is offered by early diagnosis via serum markers in pleural effusion fluid.
Pleural effusions (a buildup of fluid in the space between the pleura and the lungs) are common in patients with pleural mesothelioma, the most prevalent form of the disease, accounting for more than half of all mesotheliomas, and the possibility of early and definitive diagnoses via a simple laboratory test leads clinicians to hope for an eventual cure for this deadly illness.
In Martinsburg, the closing of the Dunn Building will affect county functions but protect building occupants from the dangers of mesothelioma. Least affected will be the college, which ends its fall semester on Saturday and promises to have faculty and staff accessible via e-mail in an emergency.
Most affected will be Berkeley County's planning and engineering departments, as well as the health department administrative offices, the county's ambulance service administrative division, the county fire board, the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning Council offices, W. Virginia's university extension service, and the county assessor's and sheriff's tax collection offices.
New plans - which involve closing the building until at least December 18, relocating essential personnel and closing administrative offices - aim at removing the asbestos in a manner consistent with regulations provided by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health. This involves encapsulating asbestos in place and removing it to a licensed hazardous waste facility, then replacing the skylight and adjacent roof afterward, followed by air sampling. Employees whose jobs are affected by the asbestos remediation will be paid for their time.
There is no report on how much the asbestos remediation emergency project will add to the already budgeted $4.3-million renovation, or the cost of closure on the county's budget.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Asbestos Found in Maryland Racetrack
Plans to convert the Ocean Downs horse racing facility in Maryland into a slot machine parlor were put on hold after work crews discovered asbestos in the track's grandstands. The track's owner, William Rickman, Jr., sent a letter to Maryland Video Lottery Location Commission Chairman Donald Fry stating that, among other structural problems, workers found samples of asbestos in nearly every part of the old grandstands.
According to the letter, the levels of asbestos the crews found were "substantial". One major source of the asbestos appears to be several roofing panels, covered with galvanized paint, which disguised the presence of the dangerous substance. The site was constructed just after World War II, when asbestos use was widespread in the construction industry and valued for its usefulness as fireproofing and insulation material.
The demolition project on the site, which was already underway before the discovery, was stopped when inspectors found the asbestos. The contractors, the owners and government officials have yet to reach an agreement as to how to continue with the dismantling of the stands. Mr. Rickman's letter says that the architect of the proposed new facility and the structural engineer are working on a potential solution that would allow for the asbestos removal while still staying close to the original designs.
Before the asbestos discovery, Mr. Rickman's plans were to open the new slot machine parlor on Memorial Day Weekend 2010. The new facility was to offer six hundred slot machines, with plans for another two hundred within the following twelve months. Ocean Downs was one of the first five businesses to be granted slot machine licenses by the state after lawmakers approved the measure to allow for these types of games and began issuing licenses in September. While Mr. Rickman has not yet announced plans to scrap the Memorial Day opening, observers have noted that, with the extensive problems facing the project, the opening day for the area's first slots casino may be severely delayed.
In addition to the asbestos issues, the site has also encountered problems with the structural steel used to support the grandstands and how it can be incorporated into the new design. Since the steel is more than sixty years old, Mr. Rickman informed the commission, he has sent samples to be tested for structural integrity and compatibility with any new steel that crews need to weld onto the existing portions. Crews also found an abundance of lead paint in many parts of the grandstands, which pose another hazard to worker safety.
In order to comply with state and federal regulations involving both environmental safety and worker protection, asbestos abatement workers will have to carry out strict procedures when handling the asbestos, which poses a severe health hazard when its fibers become airborne, and contractors must provide protective clothing and special breathing masks to reduce the workers' risk of exposure.
Workers who inhale asbestos fibers have been known to contract pleural mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that attacks the fluid linings of the lungs. Patients typically exhibit symptoms years after the initial exposure period, but by that time, the disease is often too far advanced to treat adequately. A patient who receives a mesothelioma diagnosis usually lives less than eighteen months after the disease is detected.
According to the letter, the levels of asbestos the crews found were "substantial". One major source of the asbestos appears to be several roofing panels, covered with galvanized paint, which disguised the presence of the dangerous substance. The site was constructed just after World War II, when asbestos use was widespread in the construction industry and valued for its usefulness as fireproofing and insulation material.
The demolition project on the site, which was already underway before the discovery, was stopped when inspectors found the asbestos. The contractors, the owners and government officials have yet to reach an agreement as to how to continue with the dismantling of the stands. Mr. Rickman's letter says that the architect of the proposed new facility and the structural engineer are working on a potential solution that would allow for the asbestos removal while still staying close to the original designs.
Before the asbestos discovery, Mr. Rickman's plans were to open the new slot machine parlor on Memorial Day Weekend 2010. The new facility was to offer six hundred slot machines, with plans for another two hundred within the following twelve months. Ocean Downs was one of the first five businesses to be granted slot machine licenses by the state after lawmakers approved the measure to allow for these types of games and began issuing licenses in September. While Mr. Rickman has not yet announced plans to scrap the Memorial Day opening, observers have noted that, with the extensive problems facing the project, the opening day for the area's first slots casino may be severely delayed.
In addition to the asbestos issues, the site has also encountered problems with the structural steel used to support the grandstands and how it can be incorporated into the new design. Since the steel is more than sixty years old, Mr. Rickman informed the commission, he has sent samples to be tested for structural integrity and compatibility with any new steel that crews need to weld onto the existing portions. Crews also found an abundance of lead paint in many parts of the grandstands, which pose another hazard to worker safety.
In order to comply with state and federal regulations involving both environmental safety and worker protection, asbestos abatement workers will have to carry out strict procedures when handling the asbestos, which poses a severe health hazard when its fibers become airborne, and contractors must provide protective clothing and special breathing masks to reduce the workers' risk of exposure.
Workers who inhale asbestos fibers have been known to contract pleural mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that attacks the fluid linings of the lungs. Patients typically exhibit symptoms years after the initial exposure period, but by that time, the disease is often too far advanced to treat adequately. A patient who receives a mesothelioma diagnosis usually lives less than eighteen months after the disease is detected.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Mesothelioma claims the life of Purple Heart recipient
Samuel J. Gertner of Iron River, Wisconsin lost his year-long battle with mesothelioma on November 22 at the age of 76. After graduating high school at Breckenridge, Minnesota in 1952, Gertner joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served for four years and was awarded the Purple Heart in Korea. Gertner married in April 1957 and worked as a journeyman sign hanger before moving to Iron River as the owner and operator of the Top O’ the Morn Resort. He retired in 1995.
Gertner was very involved in his community, participating in the fire department, the ambulance department, Boy Scouts, the VFW and more. A memorial service was held at the Iron River VFW on December 2.
Gertner was very involved in his community, participating in the fire department, the ambulance department, Boy Scouts, the VFW and more. A memorial service was held at the Iron River VFW on December 2.
American Public Health Association calls for asbestos ban
The American Public Health Association (APHA) is the world’s oldest public health association. The 50,000 member organization recently adopted a resolution at its annual meeting to call on Congress to pass legislation which would ban the manufacture, sale, import or export of asbestos-containing products, including those products in which asbestos is a contaminant. About 10,000 Americans die of asbestos-related illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, each year.
With this resolution, the APHA joins the World Federation of Public Health Associations and other international organizations that have called for a global ban on the mining, manufacturing and exporting of asbestos and asbestos-containing products. Nearly 50 industrialized nations have banned asbestos, but neither the United States nor Canada is among them.
With this resolution, the APHA joins the World Federation of Public Health Associations and other international organizations that have called for a global ban on the mining, manufacturing and exporting of asbestos and asbestos-containing products. Nearly 50 industrialized nations have banned asbestos, but neither the United States nor Canada is among them.
Asbestos complicates Arizona court move
As part of the Maricopa County Superior Court reorganization in Arizona, criminal judges, prosecutors, and some staff members from Mesa are moving to Phoenix in December. Due to a lack of office space, some of the staff members, including half of the County Attorney’s Office, have to be left behind. As if splitting up the staff weren’t complicated enough, the Phoenix court complex also has asbestos problems. Because of this, the move won’t likely be completed until next August.
The west court building in Phoenix will be undergoing renovations to remove asbestos from the second, third and fourth floors. The half million dollar project started at the end of November. After the asbestos has been removed, remodeling of the building will cost another $2.2 million.
This asbestos removal project will be done carefully to ensure that federal environmental regulations are followed. The county Air Quality Board fined the Facilities Management Department, RFC Holdings Inc. and Jokaka Construction Services for asbestos violations during the renovations of the east court building in October. The violations stemmed from an incident where workers pulled up some carpeting that was glued to the tile floor with asbestos-containing adhesive. The project was shut down immediately and Environmental Services was called.
When the court move arrangements take effect on December 1, the courts will be run more efficiently and the county will save money on inmate transportation costs.
The west court building in Phoenix will be undergoing renovations to remove asbestos from the second, third and fourth floors. The half million dollar project started at the end of November. After the asbestos has been removed, remodeling of the building will cost another $2.2 million.
This asbestos removal project will be done carefully to ensure that federal environmental regulations are followed. The county Air Quality Board fined the Facilities Management Department, RFC Holdings Inc. and Jokaka Construction Services for asbestos violations during the renovations of the east court building in October. The violations stemmed from an incident where workers pulled up some carpeting that was glued to the tile floor with asbestos-containing adhesive. The project was shut down immediately and Environmental Services was called.
When the court move arrangements take effect on December 1, the courts will be run more efficiently and the county will save money on inmate transportation costs.
U.S. Army veteran dead from mesothelioma at age 80
James R. Walton of Morris, Illinois died of mesothelioma on November 22. He was 80 years old. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Born in McComas, West Virginia, Walton graduated from McComas High School and attended engineering school. He was a U.S. Army veteran. After marrying in September 1949, he worked at Aurora Caterpillar Tractor Company, the Joliet Arsenal and the Morris Hospital. Walton spent over 36,000 hours volunteering at the Morris Hospital Lifeline and Patient Transportation Service.
Funeral services were held on November 25 at First United Methodist Church followed by interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
Born in McComas, West Virginia, Walton graduated from McComas High School and attended engineering school. He was a U.S. Army veteran. After marrying in September 1949, he worked at Aurora Caterpillar Tractor Company, the Joliet Arsenal and the Morris Hospital. Walton spent over 36,000 hours volunteering at the Morris Hospital Lifeline and Patient Transportation Service.
Funeral services were held on November 25 at First United Methodist Church followed by interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
• Constant chest pain• Chronic cough that worsens over time• Coughing up blood • Difficulty breathing• Fatigue• Lung infection (pneumonia, bronchitis)• Shortness of breath• Swollen lymph nodes• Loss of appetite and weight loss• Wheezing
Mesothelioma is an extremely malignant and incurable cancer that infects the membrane that surrounds most of the internal organs.
Mesothelioma is also a very subtle form of cancer, with few noticeable symptoms until the disease is extremely advanced. Unfortunately, this is what makes mesothelioma so deadly; by the time the symptoms are noticeable they are virtually impossible to treat. The cancerous tumors are so entrenched in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, or heart, that no amount of chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery will completely eliminate them.
Pleural mesothelioma represents 75% of mesothelioma cases - but it is far from the only type of this deadly cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines, and is just as dangerous and deadly.
Mesothelioma is an extremely malignant and incurable cancer that infects the membrane that surrounds most of the internal organs.
Mesothelioma is also a very subtle form of cancer, with few noticeable symptoms until the disease is extremely advanced. Unfortunately, this is what makes mesothelioma so deadly; by the time the symptoms are noticeable they are virtually impossible to treat. The cancerous tumors are so entrenched in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, or heart, that no amount of chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery will completely eliminate them.
Pleural mesothelioma represents 75% of mesothelioma cases - but it is far from the only type of this deadly cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines, and is just as dangerous and deadly.
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