Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog
According to a recent news article from Mass Live, a large energy firm in Holyoke has received $700,000 in tax incentives to move forward with a planned major expansion. Much of these funds will be used for asbestos abatement.
Town officials, members of a public development corporation, and company representatives met in Worcester to finalize the deal. The company will not have to pay any property taxes for the next 10 years and that amounts to a savings or around $700,000. There are also state tax credits included in this figure above and beyond the property tax normally payable to the county.
One of the reasons the town was interested in this plan was because it will add up to a hundred new jobs to the area and hopefully will spur the local economy in other ways. As for the physical expansion, the company will be able to renovate an old brick factory building on the property that has been empty for two years, and demolish the other buildings to make way for new construction.
One of the major impediments to doing this expansion earlier was the fact that these structures contain a significant amount of asbestos as they were constructed during a time when asbestos was used heavily in all aspects of construction.
As our Boston mesothelioma attorneys have seen in far too many cases, if asbestos abatement is not handled properly, many people who work on the project, and other members of the community can become exposed to the deadly fibers.
The proper way to handle an asbestos abatement project is to first have an inspection performed by a certified abatement professional to determine if there actually is asbestos present. This is done by taking samples and having a materials lab perform a microscopic analysis.
One the presence of asbestos is confirmed, the asbestos abatement contractor should work with the landowner to obtain the necessary permits before any work can begin. All workers must be properly trained in safe removal and handling of asbestos, and they must be provided with property safety equipment including respirators or ventilators.
It is also essential that care be taken to make sure deadly asbestos fibers are not allowed to leave the immediate work area. This can be accomplished by wetting all asbestos to prevent dust, and to put up protective barriers around the worksite including plastic sheeting. Once the asbestos is removed, it must be put in approved plastic cases and taken by secure shipment to an approved hazardous waste facility. It should never be thrown in a dumpster as if often the case.
Unfortunately, some unscrupulous landowners hire day laborers to do the job without ever telling them they are being exposed to the deadly fibers that can result in malignant mesothelioma. The workers then take the dust home to their families in what is known as a take home asbestos exposure case. For decades, workers would come home and hug their children and spouses and were unknowingly exposing their loved ones to a deadly disease.
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma in Boston, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional resources:
Holyoke’s Aegis Energy Services gets state OK for $700,000 in tax incentives, March 22, 2016, Mass Live, By Mike Plaisance
More Blog Entries:
Can Family of Asbestos Workers Sue for Illness?, September 15, 2014, Boston Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog