Landlord paid tenants to remove asbestos

Removing asbestos and materials that contain asbestos needs to be done by certified removal experts. Proper government associations must also be notified of the dangerous material so that it can be removed and stored properly and safely. Many people do not believe the processes or precautions are seriously monitored. Instead, they put other people in danger by allowing them to handle asbestos without warning them about the dangers.

Recently, the owner of a small property paid her tenants to do some work on the property. According to statements, the tenants were asked to remove siding and then store it elsewhere on the property. The siding, however, contained asbestos and the owner failed to tell the tenants about it. They were not protected from exposure and may have ingested unsafe levels of the fiber.

The owner also failed to contact any removal specialists or notify the Department of Environmental Protection that she would be working with asbestos and when the work would begin. It was not until a licensed asbestos contractor inspected the site that the proper authorities were notified about the dangerous removal and storage that had taken place.

People try and take shortcuts when working with asbestos. They may feel like they can just have someone do the work quickly and cheaply by not telling them about the presence of asbestos or provide proper protection against it. However, this careless and reckless attitude puts people’s lives in danger. Additionally, improper removal and storage of asbestos may threaten the state’s water, air or land and could seriously threaten human health.

If a landlord knows about asbestos, and there is a good chance he or she does, knowingly exposing tenants to it is irresponsible and dangerous. There may be reasons to suspect that exposure has caused a serious disease such as mesothelioma. If a person has any questions about what the risks of asbestos exposure are, or if he or she could have been negligently exposed to it, seeking health and legal help sooner than later could be very important.

Source: Patch, “Town Woman Charged with Asbestos Violations,” April 18, 2012