After an HVAC contractor discovered asbestos in the first-floor plaster ceiling of the Stamford Police station last month, officers decided to turn off the building’s air conditioning and circulation system. As summer approaches and the heat intensifies, officers working at the station are becoming more uncomfortable.
“There’s no air movement,” said Police Chief Jon Fontneau. “It’s not a great situation at all. We worry about what will happen on really hot days because the guys are perspiring greatly right now.”
According to City Engineer Lou Casolo, after the asbestos was discovered, an industrial hygiene consultant was hired by the city to test the air quality in the police station. Over the course of four hours of testing, all samples came back negative for asbestos contamination. The police union also hired a consultant, and those samples came back negative as well.
Prior to the testing, Stamford city officials had begun to grow concerned about the inhabitability of the station. Mayor David Martin started to consider relocating the department’s officers until the asbestos abatement was done. “We were sweating bullets that essentially the police could not operate out of the police station,” the mayor said. Now that the tests show no cause for concern, the officers will most likely stay at the station.
Although the building was deemed fit for occupancy, Casolo stressed that the asbestos-containing plaster ceiling should not be disturbed. When friable asbestos becomes airborne, it can be easily inhaled. Asbestos exposure leads to numerous respiratory health problems and is the primary cause of mesothelioma. Despite the ban on asbestos, there are approximately 3,000 mesothelioma diagnoses made each year.