A Providence-based salvage company has been cited by the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection for federal and state health violations for the safe-removal of asbestos.
On February 19th, the DEP’s Division of Air Quality dispatched inspectors to the Period, Inc. industrial property in Madisonville after receiving complaints of an unauthorized salvage operation conducted by the building’s owner S&S Salvage.
Energy and Environmental Cabinet Spokesman Dick Brown says thorough on-site tests were conducted on the demolished material which came back positive for asbestos, a micro-fiber that causes serious health problems when inhaled.
"The division has cited the building’s owner for violating state and federal asbestos regulations which dictate the safe removal of asbestos," said Brown. "And right now no further activity is allowed to take place on the property until a through clean-up by an asbestos-certified contractor has been completed.”
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Occupational Safety and Health Program is also investigating the firm for possible workplace safety violations relating to the asbestos.
Labor Cabinet Director of Communications Daniel Lowry says their inspectors are working alongside the DAQ team, but their focus is on the health of the workers and whether the company possessed the necessary health permits before entering the building.
Lowry says S&S Salvage has no prior safety or health violations with Kentucky OSH.
