The Army Corps of Engineers Addresses Asbestos Issues in the Tunnel

This page focuses on information from the Government Office of Accountabilty and the Army Corps of Engineers' investigation into asbestos issues in the tunnels that provide heating and cooling to a number of government buildings in Washington, D.C. Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

Heat
In one tunnel, AOC has reduced the extreme heat and the potential for heat stress for tunnel workers that were raised as a major issue for three tunnels, but heat remains a problem in two tunnels.

The heat issue was made worse after exhaust fans in the tunnels were turned off because of concerns about asbestos blowing into the air. After testing one tunnel to ensure there were no indications of asbestos in the air, AOC turned on the exhaust fans in that tunnel, lessening the heat there, but high temperatures remain in the two other tunnels.

AOC officials noted that the high heat in the tunnels has affected and can affect the progress of all work in the tunnels because workers must take frequent breaks to exit the tunnels and cool off.