Document xdeQVOg5NNXKMwMeNzkQV6RYJ

FILE NAME: WR Grace (WRG) DATE: May 1, 1970 DOC#: WRG098 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: 1970 Article in Engineering News-Record titled Sprayed-asbestos fireproofing work halted. r.4 r 'n MAY 7 197p I ngm eenng McGRAW-HILL'S CONSTRUCTION WEEKLY Si s-Reoord 7 l:'C Sprayed-asbestos fireproofing work halted d-asbestos fireproofing oper on steel-framed buildings halted last week in New- York City. The stop page resulted from regulations written alter medical research showed that as bestos fibers can cause cancer of the pulmonarv and gastro-intestinal tracts if ingested (ENR 4.'2 p. 1n . New York Citv's Department of Air Resources prepared the rezulations and put them into effect three weeks aeo. Last week, inspectors issued summonses alleging that the fireproofing subcon tractors on three building projects were in violation of the regulations. The as bestos-spray contractor on a fourth building voluntarily halted work. City officials report that the four buildings are the only jobs in the citv where fire proofing operations have been under way. Continued violations could result in departmental hearings leading to the sealing of asbestos-spraving machinery bv-the citv. The four projects are one of the two 110-story towers of the World Trade Center, the ?4-story Standard Oil i N.J.) building near Rockefeller Center, a 40-storv building at 2 New York Plaza in the financial district, and a J7storv structure m midtown Manhattan. Ironicailv. the W'orid Trade Center project was the first and oniy building in the city where the sprav contractor had taken precautions to prevent scat tering of dried asbestos. The owner, the Port of New York Authority, cooper ated with the citv months ago as a re sult of the medical studies conducted by a team of phvsicians. The building's exterior on the floors where asbestos was being spraved was tightly enclosed bv tarpaulins and the asbestos-sprav work area was sealed off from other interior sections. The job. however, lacked the vacuum cleaning operation as required bv the regu lations. according to a Port Authority official. Empire Pvro Sprav Inc.. New York Citv. asbestos-sprav subcontractor on the New York Plaza building, was sum moned to a hearing bv Robert N. Rick ies. commissioner of the Department of .Air Resources. Although the company has stopped work, the hearing was called after the company failed to guar antee it would comply fully with the regulations in the future, according to department officials. This move could lead to the first court test of the regu lation. \