Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog
An elementary school in Hudson is looking to get some money from a state school building agency to remove dangerous asbestos and replace a leaky roof, The MetroWest Daily News reports.
Our Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers have noticed more and more that school officials are taking the hint and removing asbestos from their schools rather than putting their children at risk.
It’s still amazing that to this day asbestos in New England sits in scores of old schools and buildings throughout the area despite not being used for decades. Despite the obvious risks of sickness and death, many school officials are just now taking note and making changes.
At least it’s being done, though we believe it should have been done years ago. Many buildings throughout New England are historic and were built at a time when using asbestos was normal and expected.
But in the last few decades, researchers have found a clear link between asbestos and mesothelioma, a rare and incurable form of cancer. While research has been slow to come, it has shown that asbestos is indeed very dangerous.
And if it is in our schools, that means our children are at risk on a daily basis. Asbestos, once it goes airborne, can get into a person’s body and lead to sickness and even death. It forms unstoppable tumors near major organs where operations are difficult to perform. Often, chemotherapy and other treatment options prove unhelpful as well.
That’s why it’s critical that schools and owners of homes and other buildings that may have been built with asbestos have those checked for this dangerous material. Even if walls have been improved over the years, there still could be asbestos not only in the walls, but in the ceilings and floor boards. This can still lead to exposure if it breaks up and gets into the air.
In Hudson, school officials are asking the Massachusetts School Building Authority for money to help fix a leaky roof and remove dangerous asbestos from within the school. Officials hope to repair the 50-year-old roof by filing a request with the authority.
The newspaper reports that the authority will rank the project among others statewide to determine what amount of money it can dedicate to this project compared to others throughout the area. Officials estimate it would cost $1.2 million to remove the asbestos and roof, which has been replaced in the 1980s and plugged several times in the last few years.
Officials believe the asbestos at the school doesn’t pose any health risks. But it’s unclear from the article where the asbestos is and whether it’s at risk of cracking off and getting into the air. Any exposure can be dangerous. It will be critical for officials to properly remove the asbestos — incorrectly removed asbestos can lead to a serious risk.
Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers provides representation for victims exposed to asbestos who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Boston and throughout Massachusetts and New England. Call (617) 777-7777 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Another School Discovers Asbestos, Even Though Its Effects Have Been Known For Decades: November 22, 2011
Additional Resources:
New roof sought for Hudson’s Mulready School, by Jeff Malachowski, The MetroWest Daily News