HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Complaints about possible asbestos in the building that houses Hamilton County’s Health Department surfaced back in April, we learned on Wednesday.
Last Friday, we reported that the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) is investigating a report of asbestos after a complaint filed by an employee in October.
That complaint said administrators and county leaders did not notify Health Department employees, but the county told us on Wednesday that every employee who needed to know was told.
A Health Department employee sent us several photos that were contained in the October complaint, but what’s depicted in the photos has not yet been confirmed as asbestos.
We learned on Wednesday that another complaint about possible asbestos was sent to TOSHA back in April of this year. The subsequent investigation revealed that there was no harmful asbestos detected in the building. Read the full April complaint below:
The complaint filed by Health Department in April shared concerns about asbestos exposure that resulted after carpet was ripped up:
Hamilton County Spokeswoman Mary Francis Hoots says the April complaint “was all resolved within a day of learning about the complaint.”
As far as the October complaint, Hoots tells us in an email that it has been addressed, and that the level of asbestos found does not meet TOSHA’s definition of hazardous exposure..
Management toured the facility on Thursday, October 26th to investigate the complaint and determined there was no asbestos exposure,’ Hoots writes. ‘On that same day, Thursday, October 26th, letters were posted in conspicuous places throughout the Health Department, where all affected employees would have notice of the alleged asbestos. An email was sent to all employees notifying them of the complaint the following day, Friday, October 27th.’
“The mere presence of asbestos does not pose a hazard,’ Hoots added. ‘As long as it is contained and not disturbed, there should be no dangers. Only when it becomes friable, does it constitute an exposure.”
For decades, asbestos was used as a flame retardant in building materials, because it does a good job of keeping flames from spreading.
But use of asbestos stopped when it was revealed that inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to various dangerous lung conditions.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp told us on Wednesday that he wants the Health Department to move out of the building, and turn the property over to Erlanger Hospital next door.
Wamp told us he is sorry if some employees did not hear about the concerns, and that those concerns are being addressed right now.
We’re working to learn more. Depend on us for continual updates.