WA asbestos removal company faces $800K in fines for safety failures

Lynnwood asbestos removal company faces nearly $800k in fines for serious safety violations

The Department of Labor and Industries says Seattle Asbestos of Washington knowingly exposed its worker and homeowners to hazardous conditions.

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has fined Seattle Asbestos of Washington more than $790,000 for allegedly exposing workers and homeowners to hazardous conditions.

"It's rare to see this level of repeated, willful ignoring of the rules, especially in the asbestos arena where certification is required," said Matt Ross, Public Affairs Manager for Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

L & I says the Lynnwood-based company was inspected five times and in two cases, one in Mountlake Terrace and one in Ferndale, the agency found more than 35 willful health and safety violations, leading to fines of more than $790,000.

At both locations, L&I found violations of basic asbestos-removal regulations including:

Equipment to clean harmful particles from the air was not working properly.
A dishwasher, water heater, and wood stove were not covered with plastic to seal them from particles.
Multiple respirators for workers were inside containment areas exposing them to contamination.
A large pile of drywall sitting on the living room carpet was not bagged nor saturated with water to keep down the dust.
There were no plastic drop cloths placed anywhere in the work area.

L & I says the first case was appealed, but the company has not appealed the second case.