Ehstoday 8420 Seattle Pacific Hotel
Ehstoday 8420 Seattle Pacific Hotel
Ehstoday 8420 Seattle Pacific Hotel
Ehstoday 8420 Seattle Pacific Hotel
Ehstoday 8420 Seattle Pacific Hotel

Seattle Hotel Fined for Exposing Construction Workers to Asbestos

Jan. 23, 2018
Seattle Pacific Hotel fined $355,000 for putting hotel construction workers at risk.

“Unconscionable” is how one safety administrator described a long string of asbestos violations at a Seattle hotel. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) determined that the owner of the Seattle Pacific Hotel willfully exposed construction workers on multiple occasions to asbestos hazards.

The owner, identified as Raj Nariya, was found to have knowingly exposed untrained workers to asbestos during a renovation of the hotel lobby. Following an investigation of the work site, L&I discovered that these workers were neither trained nor certified to safely perform the removal of asbestos. More to the point, the owner had apparently been informed by a certified asbestos-abatement contractor about the presence of asbestos in the ceiling, but instead of using that contractor, he opted instead to hire untrained workers unfamiliar with the dangers of asbestos.

As a result, the L&I cited the hotel for a dozen willful violations during the hotel remodeling, and fined the owner $355,000 for exposing workers to asbestos. The violations included:

  • failing to provide respiratory protection; leaving asbestos;
  • leaving asbestos debris on site;
  • not taking a pre-removal air sample before removing the asbestos materials.

“It’s unconscionable that anyone would knowingly expose untrained and unprotected workers to asbestos,” says Anne Soiza, L&I’s assistant director for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. “It’s an extremely hazardous material that’s notorious for causing cancer and other serious health issues.”

The owner has 15 days to appeal the citation.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!