Baltimore Church School Settles Asbestos Violations

In June, the Church of the Good Shepherd School settled asbestos violations that had been ongoing since 2008.

The school, located at 1401 Carollton Ave. in Ruxton (a suburb of Baltimore), Maryland, was built in 1958 and offers classes and certified teaching personnel for the 2- to 7-year olds whose parents attend the Anglican/Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd adjacent. The school is a non-profit extension of the church's ministry.

In August of 2008, some of the school's flooring was removed and replaced in two classrooms, one large closet and in the lower hallway. The flooring was apparently identified as containing asbestos, and the church/school reportedly did post notices, at least according to the church's September, 2008 bulletin.

However, during a 2008 inspection, under the auspices of the Maryland Department of the Environment (which regulates asbestos remediation in the state), it was discovered that the school had failed to reinspect other asbestos-containing materials on a mandatory three-year basis, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In fact, the school hadn't been inspected since 1998.

The Maryland inspectors also discovered that the church/school had failed to send the required annual notifications of asbestos management plan availability to parents, teachers and employees.

According to the mid-Atlantic office of the EPA, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) mandates that building owners and operators in which private, non-profit schools operate are required to conduct six-month (periodic surveillance) and three-year inspections of their premises to identify the condition of asbestos-containing materials like floor tiles, tile cements, window and door caulking, acoustical ceilings or spray-on insulation in ceilings, and asbestos insulation in boilers and heating systems.

Building owners and schools must also create a management plan for dealing with asbestos-containing materials detailing the procedures that will be undertaken to prevent asbestos releases in the event of renovation, material failure, or emergencies. They must also notify all adult occupants of said premises about the availability of the plan yearly, and also notify these individuals in the event of abatement activity.

Schools must also provide at least two hours of training on AHERA compliance, including asbestos identification and awareness, to custodial and maintenance staff.

After spending more than $17,000 to address various issues, the Church of the Good Shepherd School is now in compliance, and the EPA - noting that none of the issues put building occupants in any danger re asbestos exposure - has settled on a 0-dollar fine.

The settlement is part of the EPA's efforts to insure that schools in the mid-Atlantic region reduce their asbestos-hazard level. The EPA also offers training and assistance in addressing asbestos issues to public and private schools and their staff, and frequently conducts outreach programs at various asbestos-education conferences.

Asbestos has become a huge concern among parents and teachers as the nation's aging schools seek to serve larger populations of students by renovating or expanding existing buildings. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, there are about 90,000 school buildings in the U.S., and most are about 42 years old, putting them well within the time framework (1900-1970) when most asbestos was used.

In addition, according to 1995 statistics, 73 percent of these schools had undertaken at least one major building renovation which could have exposed students and staff (and workers) to asbestos if appropriate measures were not taken.

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring fibrous mineral found in rock formations. Up until about the mid-1970s, it was mined and used in the above-mentioned products regularly. When asbestos is damaged, or becomes old and friable, it can release fibers that - when inhaled or ingested - cause irritation or lesions that lead to diseases like asbestosis (a debilitating respiratory condition), lung and digestive system cancers, or mesothelioma, a rare but fatal cancer of the mesothelial lining of the lungs and digestive tract.

For more information on the regulation of asbestos in schools, visit http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbestos_in_schools.html

Sources: Good Shepherd School website, EPA website, Herald Mail

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