ASBESTOS TESTING
EPA fines two Arizona school operators for failing to follow asbestos testing procedures

Two Arizona charter school operators are cited for alleged violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Act, federal environmental officials said. Asbestos testing in seven schools was never undertaken, as the law requires.

ASBESTOS TESTING VIOLATION

September 10, 2009 -- Inspectors with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) learned that seven charter schools operated by Pointe Educational Services and the Charter Foundation had not undergone testing for asbestos, nor had the companies created an EPA asbestos school management plan, as environmental laws require.

A subsequent inspection revealed that one of the schools contained asbestos building materials.

“Asbestos can potentially endanger the health of students, school teachers and employees at schools,” Katherine Taylor, associate director for the communities and ecosystems division in EPA’s Pacific Southwest region said in a press release.

Asbestos testing

Federal law requires that local education agencies conduct an inspection (using accredited inspectors) to determine if asbestos-containing building materials are present, and develop a management plan to address the situation.

The EPA fined Pointe Educational Services $13,700 and The Charter Foundation $8,330, the agency said.

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 is most often the result of asbestos exposure on jobs – and usually contracted through employers’ blatant disregard for the health and safety of their workers.

Time to seek justice

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of 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 job-related 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. Because the firm works on a contingency basis, there is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.