Winona State facing asbestos violation fine

State OSHA officials say the university may have to pay up to $24,500, but the school is contesting the case.

By TOM MEERSMAN, Star Tribune

Last update: December 27, 2007 - 9:39 PM

Winona State University faces a proposed fine of $24,500 for seven serious workplace safety violations related to asbestos removal from dormitories and other campus locations this year.

The university repaired or replaced insulation without taking the necessary precautions to protect workers from asbestos, according to the complaint from the state Occupational Safety and Health Division.

James Honerman, an OSHA spokesman, said he could not provide any details about the citations, which the university received last month, because Winona State has contested the allegations and the matter has not been resolved.

Cristeen Custer, assistant vice president of marketing and communications at Winona State, said the university is cooperating with OSHA. "We take it seriously, and we do believe that we'll come to a very positive result with our discussions with OSHA," she said.

When asked whether students may have been exposed to asbestos during any of the repair work, Custer said: "Obviously student safety is of critical importance to us and we would never jeopardize or take liberties with student or worker health. If there was a concern we would have alerted students."

A copy of the violations was posted for workers at Winona State, as required, and reveals specific shortcomings:

•Asbestos work was not properly supervised in Lourdes Hall and Richards Hall, dormitories where plumbing work in a women's bathroom and a water softener replacement occurred last February and May.

•Air was not monitored when asbestos was removed from piping, "resulting in employee exposure to unknown concentrations of asbestos fibers."

•Workers did not use filtration or collection systems to clean asbestos-contaminated air.

•Workers were not wearing required protective clothing during asbestos removal.

•There were no signs warning workers about asbestos-containing materials at entrances to mechanical rooms, tunnels and other places on campus;

•Although employees have been repairing and removing asbestos for more than 10 years, the university has no monitoring records regarding exposure from any of that work from September 1995 through September 2005.

Tom Meersman • 612-673-7388

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