City of Albuquerque Faces Asbestos Fines

September 8, 2023

New Mexico Environmental proposes fines

  • The New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau cited the City of Albuquerque and Consolidated Builders of NM, LLC for workplace safety issues related to asbestos exposures at the Women’s Shelter within the Gateway Center.
  • The OHSB investigation concluded that the City of Albuquerque and Consolidated Builders violated the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Act,
  • The city demonstrated indifference to the safety and health of employees and exposed employees to asbestos between April 11, 2022, and March 9, 2023.
  • The city was issued a $761,112 fine for five Willful-Serious citations and two Serious citations. Consolidated Builders was issued a $331,475 fine for eight willful serious citations and one Serious citation.
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New deal for Mexican nationals

  • The state Department of Labor and Licensing renewed an agreement with the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
  • The sides will work together to provide Mexican nationals and others with information, guidance, and access to education and training resources to promote workers’ rights in protecting their occupational safety and health.
  • Under their agreement, the state and federal agencies and the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock also aim to work together to help these people understand United States law on the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act.
  • Officials representing the state Department of Labor and Licensing, the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock, and OSHA signed the renewal of the agreement.
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OSHA opens whistleblower investigation

  • OSHA opened a whistleblower investigation that it undertook regarding the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.
  • NDEQ allegedly retaliated against an environmental scientist who had reported safety concerns about a public water system to both management and subsequently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Federal environmental statutes include the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
  • The SDWA prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for engaging in protective activities pertaining to alleged violations of actual or potential drinking water from above or underground sources designed for consumption.
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Tree worker dies after being electrocuted

  • A private tree contractor was killed this morning at a home in Delta Township in Lansing, Michigan.
  • The person died when they touched a live wire, according to multiple reports.
  • The contractor was working on the cleanup of debris from last week’s storms.
  • The incident also resulted in approximately 1,200 Lansing Board of Water & Light customers losing power on the west side of the utility’s service territory.
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