Union files complaint after asbestos found in baltimore building

Baltimore, Maryland â€" A Child Welfare Services building at 1510 Guilford St in Baltimore may have an asbestos problem that exposed up to 350 state employees, as well as countless numbers of children who have visited the building. According to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, over the weekend, outside maintenance contractors working at the building found suspected asbestos on pipes. The workers alerted the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration to the potential danger on Monday 28 April. Asbestos is known to cause more than one type of cancer, as well as other serious and chronic health conditions. In general, long-term or heavy exposure increased the likelihood of developing an asbestos-related disease, but cancers can potentially develop after relatively small amounts of exposure. However, because asbestos-related cancers take anywhere from two to five decades to develop, it’s not possible to ascertain whether a risk is present based on whether people have recently gotten sick. Union spokesperson Joe Lawrence said there was supposed to be a meeting about the issue, but it was first postponed twice, and then eventually cancelled. Lawrence says it’s been difficult to get any information about the incident. Employees have apparently been complaining about dangerous conditions in the building for a long time. Last summer, employees filed a complaint with the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration about water leaks and rodent infestations. The MOSH issued an extermination order but according to union officials, didn’t continue with regular inspections as promised. Joe Lawrence says that the building has a history of problems, and the union isn’t satisfied that the MOSH is taking all of its concerns seriously. Brian Wilbon, Deputy Secretary for Operations at the Department of Human Resources, says that there were no contractors working at the building over the past weekend. In addition, says Wilbon, the building has been inspected two separate times over the past year, and asbestos was not found on either occasion. Wilbon said that the results of both of those inspections were presented to workers at meetings held during the year, and also says he would not hesitate to remove staff from the building if he believed that there was any danger present. Currently around 350 Maryland Department of Social Services employees are working in the building, which is on lease to the state. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)