ASBESTOS REMOVAL UPDATE
NYC prohibits simultaneous demolition and asbestos abatement activities within the same building

“The possibility of a dangerous, even life-threatening, situation is increased when demolition work is combined with asbestos removal activities,” said NYC’s mayor.

Industries that have placed workers most at risk of exposure include the: automobile, construction, electrical, power plant and shipyard industries.

NEWS BREAK

December 10, 2009 - Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday signed a bill prohibiting simultaneous demolition and asbestos removal activities within the same building.

The measure, passed by the City Council last week, is the last of 12 bills written in response to the August 2007 blaze at the former Deutsche Bank building in which two New York City firefighters lost their lives.

“Simultaneous demolition and abatement activities should be a rare occurrence, and when needed, must be approved and closely monitored by the Department of Buildings, Department of Environmental Protection and the Fire Department,” Bloomberg said at a bill-signing ceremony Monday.

Other asbestos-related bills passed by the council earlier this year are intended to: establish an asbestos abatement permit program, and prohibit smoking on any floor of a building where asbestos abatement is taking place.

The truth about asbestos

Despite the fatal diseases associated with asbestos exposure, asbestos is still imported and used in the United States for its insulation properties. The United States imported and used an estimated 1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Government sources estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. Mesothelioma kills 3,000 Americans every year.

Time to seek justice

The personal-injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of asbestos-injured workers since 1986.

And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by occupational asbestos exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free case review, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and suffering.

Please know, the firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.