Homewood fire station asbestos tests negative

Homewood, Illinois - Test results from samples taken at Homewood Fire Station in Homewood, Illinois show that there is no asbestos present in the air, meaning that no exposure risks have occurred as a result of recent renovation work. Asbestos was discovered at the Homewood Fire Station at 17950 Dixie Highway around two weeks ago, and testing was carried out to determine whether airborne asbestos was present in the building. Village manager Mark Franz said a small amount of asbestos may have been disturbed during renovation work carried out on a water-damaged wall on the north side of the fire station. The work was carried out two weeks ago by a Homewood-based business, Rickoff Remodeling. “It was just a small amount [of asbestos] discovered,” said Franz after the asbestos was found. “Unless a major problem is discovered through testing, we don’t anticipate closing down any other part of the building. But if there is more asbestos found than expected we’ll do whatever cleaning is necessary to make the building safe.” The asbestos was removed by environmental consulting and contract service RCM soon after its discovery. Following the removal air samples and other tests were carried out by RCM to determine how high asbestos levels are and whether exposure risks are present in the building. According to Mark Franz, early asbestos tests indicate that one room on the north side of the fire station building may be above the threshold for permissible levels of asbestos. Since the discovery and removal of asbestos the fire station has been inspected by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and officials have requested that a large part of the building be cordoned off until the results of the asbestos tests are in. Four administrative buildings in the fire station were cordoned off to carry out the “aggressive” air tests which were recommended by the Department of Public Health. Asbestos was so commonly used in construction up until the 1980s that the discovery of asbestos inside the Homewood fire station is not a surprise. In fact, recent reports indicate that asbestos may be a common fixture in older fire stations. In Newton, Massachusetts, for example, the town’s fire stations will all be renovated over the next ten years, partly for the purpose of removing asbestos from the buildings. Recent renovation work in Newton’s Fire Station 3 exposed several firefighters to asbestos, and asbestos was also discovered at the town’s Fire Station 2. In the case of the Homewood, Illinois station, the asbestos was discovered without any apparent exposure risks occurring. According to Mark Franz, “The entire area has been cleared for occupancy by the Illinois Department of Public Health.” (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)