Bangor receives citation, fine for asbestos at BIA

BANGOR – The city has been cited by the Bureau of Labor Standards for not detecting asbestos in a recent construction project at the Bangor International Airport’s general aviation building.

The city received a $1,000 fine for the violation and noted two other minor infractions after inspectors found asbestos in the tile of the Avitat’s first floor. The city has 15 days to appeal the citation, if they so choose, said BIA Director Rebecca Hupp. Hupp said she received her copy of the violation on Wednesday.

All of the Avitat employees were offered a health screening after the findings, said Hupp.

“All the test results are back and there were no indications of any health incidents related to this,” she said.

Construction has been under way at the Avitat to provide separate kitchen, restroom and locker facilities for employees and a remodel of the public area.

Hupp said the airport was concerned about asbestos in the first floor tile because of the building’s age, so the city had it tested. The tests found no traces of asbestos and the construction company, CMC & Maintenance of Bangor, continued to remove the tile after normal operational hours. After an employee questioned the test results, the construction company stopped working on the project on July 6.

On July 10, the Department of Environmental Protection said the tiles had been removed inappropriately because additional testing showed the lower layers of tile did contain asbestos. The air quality also was tested, but readings came back far below the acceptable fiber standard, Hupp said.

As a precaution, airport employees who worked on the first floor were moved to the second, and the health screenings were provided, she said.

The city hired a certified asbestos removal company to clean up the area on July 13. Workers remained working upstairs until the cleanup was complete and the new tile was installed, Hupp said.

In addition to the citation, the bureau noted that the signs posted to keep people out of the building did not contain the appropriate wording. The bureau also noted that while the building was closed off and locked, a necessary blockade was moved.

“It was inconvenient for our employees,” Hupp said. She did not indicate whether the city would appeal the citation.