A KRQE News 13 investigation reported Albuquerque officials and contractors involved with the $9.5 million Gateway Center renovation allegedly violated federal health and safety regulations by exposing workers and visitors to asbestos.
Citing internal documents obtained by KRQE New 13, the report said the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau has launched an investigation into a lack of safeguards taken when workers removed debris containing asbestos from the Gateway Center’s second floor. The report said there were no notifications issued, no protective gear and no respirators available to workers.
“We consider (these) to be serious allegations that warranted an OSHA investigation,” New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau Chief Bob Genoway told KRQE News 13.
While a large mechanical scraper was used to rip out and shred the old tile flooring believed to contain asbestos, workers wore little protective covering as they swept up the debris with brooms.
“If there were corners cut to be able to expediently get this project done and it put people at risk, then there should be outrage,” Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis said, per KRQE News 13.
The Gateway Project is intended to be a multi-purpose homeless shelter and health services center. Creating a state-of-the-art facility from a 70-year-old hospital can be challenging. Asbestos, commonly used in the insulation, ceiling tiles and flooring of that era, has been proven to cause cancer. If it is discovered, federal abatement regulations require all work to stop.
Only specially trained and certified work crews with full body suits, respirators, gloves and boots are allowed to operate in asbestos remediation areas. Asbestos debris must be bagged and disposed of in a hazardous waste repository.
“It’s important to minimize exposure to asbestos to construction workers because there is a tremendously high risk of developing… cancers as well as other diseases associated with asbestos exposure,” UNM School of Medicine Pulmonologist Dr. Akshay Sood told KRQE News 13.
The OHSB launched its investigation after receiving complaints that allege: “No inspection or testing was done prior to demolition work. Workers are not wearing PPE and are scraping and grinding. The HVAC system is still running and may have transported dust through the building. Staff have raised safety concerns multiple times, but the project is politically driven and two work stop orders from the City’s Risk (Management) Division have been ignored.”
According to the KRQE News 13 report, the city and contractors have twice ignored letters demanding work be halted. On Feb. 28, 2023, Albuquerque’s Risk Management Division advised Gateway Project Manager Jesse Valdez: “There is a high possibility that there is asbestos in the areas of the Gibson Health Hub that are under construction. All work in these areas must cease until an asbestos test has been performed.”
An internal document showed renovation construction was halted only briefly and then resumed because “Risk (Management) does not have jurisdiction to shut down construction sites.”
On March 9, 2023, OHSB Investigators directed the city to halt all work in the asbestos area after test results confirmed the presence of asbestos in the 2nd-floor work area. “It is imperative that a regulated area be established immediately,” OHSB Safety Compliance Officer Lorenzo Montoya wrote, per KRQE News 13. “The area must be secured from unauthorized persons and demarcated immediately.”
Violating federal OSHA regulations can result in significant fines and other penalties. The OSHA investigation is ongoing and expected to last several months.
“Bottom line is we’re trying to make sure that employees don’t become seriously ill or injured from hazards in the workplace. Asbestos is a recognized, serious hazard in the workplace and can cause serious diseases,” OHSB Chief Bob Genoway said.
