Maryland Toughens Penalties for Asbestos Violations
Sussex Environmental Health Consultants provide inspections and abatement consulting services to help prevent exposure to asbestos.
Lewes, DE, June 11th, 2012 -- Beginning on October 1st, contractors who violate asbestos remediation regulation in Maryland could be fined up to $25,000, five times the current maximum penalty. Maryland’s new asbestos worker protection law adds even stronger penalties than the existing federal asbestos removal regulations. Union leaders in the state have hailed the new regulations that came about following a 2011 union report that detailed unregulated asbestos removal practices in Maryland.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that in the past was added to many products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. Although its use in most products found in buildings was banned years ago, many older properties still contain asbestos.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos.”
“When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed, asbestos fibers may be released into the air which can then be inhaled by people,” stated Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a leading Mid-Atlantic asbestos consulting company. “Some illnesses associated with asbestos exposure can take 20 or more years before they manifest themselves. Illnesses include asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases. It is imperative that building occupants, abatement contractors and construction workers not be exposed to these potentially deadly fibers. Whenever there are suspect materials they need to be tested to determine if they may contain asbestos fibers before work is begun in any older properties.”
SEHC helped sponsor an educational video about asbestos dangers in the home. It can be seen at:
To learn more about Sussex Environmental Health Consultants or asbestos, environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), and health and safety services, please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.
About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC
SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services. The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services clients nationwide. SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to international Fortune 500 Corporations.
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