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<DOCID>Asbestos_-_Casperson_10-22-06.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Kenneth Casperson</AUTHOR>
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Across from the Norris Center, the steam plant that supplies the entire campus with heat has been under renovations since early this year. A problem, however, arose during the dismantling of the old boiler  Asbestos.  M.A.P. Contractors, the company hired by LSSU to handle the renovations of the three-boiler system, dismantled two fifty-foot sections of pipe last May that were found to contain old asbestos insulation. For more information on asbestos, see the sidebar. 

This asbestos, of course, is the primary reason OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires that any contractor handling asbestos have a special license, and specially licensed workers. M.A.P. Contracting is licensed, and so a special contractor was brought in to remove the hazardous materials. All parties recognized the occurrence as an accident, and work went on as scheduled. A month later, however, M.A.P. workers began dismantling several old boiler parts that had been determined by OSHA to contain asbestos  something that certainly should not have been done. OSHA therefore fined LSSU, as the supervising organization for unsafe practices. 

It doesnt matter that it was M.A.P. employees that dismantled the parts. As the owners of the project, we were held accountable and responsible, says Randy Peterson, The Acting Director of Physical Plant. The total fine amounted to $3,500 for the violation itself and for not providing adequate training with respect to asbestos awareness. This, as Peterson mentioned: is a very small amount of money, comparatively. This could easily have been a hundred thousand dollar fine, but OSHA recognized that it was a mistake, and not a deliberate attempt to cut corners. 

Since then, training has been provided for available employees, and the rest will receive the same training in December. We have also provided medical testing for both our own employees and for MAP employees who may have been exposed  we want to make sure our people are not in any danger, said Peterson. I have informed OSHA of the actions we have taken, and they are very satisfied. We are also requesting that the fine be cut in half to offset the costs of the testing, and they have indicated that we will likely be granted the reduction.

The project itself is to automate the old main boiler and the small boiler in the plant, and to add one brand new boiler. These will turn on or off as needed, and will represent a great increase in the energy efficiency of the system. The project will be completed by this January, ready for the coldest parts of the year. 

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