Asbestos exposure is nothing new to Illinois workers, yet employers still fail to follow state and federal regulations requiring proper inspections to protect employees and the general public. For instance, when an older building in Illinois is set to be demolished, the development or construction company has to follow certain inspection guidelines. In particular, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to be notified.
Recently in Chicago, the EPA inspected a building with unsafe levels of asbestos, but two companies with plans to tear down the nine-story structure had neglected to properly notify the agency. When the high levels of pollutant were discovered, the EPA requested that the attorney general file an injunction to have the demolition stopped.
Dubai Construction and Zidan Management Group are the two companies that apparently were willing to risk workers’ health to carry out the renovation project, which was set to take place on the North Side.
The EPA asked that a contractor not associated with the companies create a strategy for handling the contaminated building.
Mesothelioma, which is the relatively rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure, is typically diagnosed in people who have worked around and breathed in asbestos fibers. The symptoms of mesothelioma usually don’t show up until decades after exposure, and research is being done on how doctors can detect the disease earlier.
Men and women who believe they may be suffering a work-related illness need to be aware of their legal options for receiving the proper treatment. An Illinois workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury lawsuit are two ways workers can reduce the financial burden caused by work-related illness or injury.
To learn more about your legal options – contact the personal injury lawyer Chicago, Illinois – Lou Cairo today and learn more about your legal options.
Source: Belleville News Democrat, “IEPA: Asbestos levels too high at demolition site,” April 2, 2013
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