Asbestos in Lockport, New York

Demolition Site Ordered Closed by State Officials Because of Asbestos Contamination and Violations

A Lockport, New York property owner was issued a stop work order after state and federal officials inspecting the site determined that the building was contaminated by asbestos.  Those living or working in the area where the demolition project was taking place face a lifelong risk to develop serious asbestos diseases, including mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis.

If your family is facing a loved one’s diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease, you can obtain important information from our asbestos lawyers about your legal rights and options by completing the form on this page.

In September 2010, officials from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a warrant to search a building in Lockport, NY that was undergoing demolition.

The warrant was issued after the owners of the property allegedly refused to permit state and federal investigators to inspect the site for the presence of asbestos.

Asbestos Violations Found at Site
The inspection not only determined that asbestos-contaminated materials were present, but also found that the air was contaminated by “uncontained” asbestos dusts. 

As a result, the building owner was cited for allegedly:
*Performing asbestos remediation and removal work without a license;
*Permitting demolition work to be performed by workers that were not certified by the state to remove asbestos debris; and
*Refusing to permit Department of Labor investigators to enter the building site to conduct their inspection

Asbestos Contamination Means Lifetime of Disease Risks
Both U.S.and international pubic health agencies have classified asbestos as a known carcinogen (cancer-causing material).

Those who inhale toxic asbestos dusts face a latency period (the time between exposure and when symptoms of illness are first noticed) of 40 or more years.  This means that individuals exposed to dangerous asbestos dusts many decades before may only now be noticing symptoms of illness.

The decades-long latency period is caused by the way asbestos affects the lungs.  When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, the sharp, jagged edges cause them to attach to lung tissue and prevents them from being expelled like other airborne substances.

The trapped asbestos fibers will eventually cause healthy lung tissue to scar.  When the scarring becomes significant, lung diseases such as asbestosis, emphysema and pleural plaques diseases can develop.  In more tragic cases, the asbestos-scarred lungs will begin to produce abnormal cells, which reproduce and cluster to form lung cancer or mesothelioma tumors.

Tragically, those who lived or worked near the site of the Lockport, NY demolition project will now need to undergo medical testing (such as chest x-rays and other lung tests) for their entire lives to ensure that if they develop an asbestos disease that it is diagnosed at its earliest possible stage.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file an asbestos lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook.  A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.