asbestos

Asbestos removal to occur in Georgetown dorm to prepare for renovations

Asbestos abatement is occurring throughout the month of June, in yet another Georgetown University dorm.

Floor tiles and associated mastic putty, which contain asbestos material, will be removed from Darnall Hall.

The abatement is being completed as part of Darnall Hall’s upcoming renovation project.

Asbestos must first be removed, for if not, dorm residents and workers would be placed at risk for contracting asbestos related diseases--such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Mesothelioma, which affects 2,000-3,000 Americans each year, causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain.

Symptoms of the disease, however, lie dormant for several decades. Because of this, mesothelioma doctors are unaware of their patients’ condition, for an extended period of time. There is no mesothelioma cure.

The District of Columbia, the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration and Environmental Protection Agency regulations concerning asbestos abatement will be followed to protect the health of the building’s occupants.

A District of Columbia professional contractor has been hired for the asbestos abatement, states the Georgetown Voice blog.

The abatement will follow the District of Columbia’s requirements, as well as federal regulations.

Georgetown University has also hired an industrial hygiene contractor to monitor the asbestos removal, and to collect and test air samples during and after the asbestos removal.

Once a final air clearance is conducted, Darnall Hall will be cleared using specific procedures. And once the re-occupancy criteria have been met, personnel associated with the renovation will begin work on the dorm.