A former Harrah’s casino employee is suing for damages related to an alleged asbestos exposure. Ernie Savannah, a former maintenance supervisor for the hotel/casino giant, alleges he was exposed to asbestos during remodeling at the hotel.

Mr. Savannah was laid off last month.

Mr. Savannah alleges that the asbestos created a hostile work environment. In addition, he argues that Harrah’s caused him additional anguish when Harrah’s forced him to fire electrician Fred Frazzetta. Mr. Frazzetta was known as a whistle-blower. Mr. Savannah has stated that he had been ordered to fire Frazzetta, who had voiced suspicions about the potential problems related to the hotel remodeling to building and OSHA officials back in 2006.

Mr. Savannah seeks $10 million in damages from Harrah’s, as well as from his union, Local 501 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, which he alleges failed to protect him.

“When I come home with the fibers, (hotel bosses) never told us we were supposed to decontaminate when we leave,” said Savannah.

Mr. Savannah has been tight-lipped about some details. He has disclosed that he has tested positive for asbestos in a medical screening and that he believes his 3-year-old child’s respiratory problem can be linked to inhaling asbestos fibers that he brought home from Harrah’s on his work clothing.

The lawsuit alleges that Harrah’s workers were exposed to during renovations in the hotel’s showroom ceiling, in the laundry room, the basement, and at a hotel-casino entrance.

According to Nevada OSHA documents, Harrah’s did not provide protection equipment to the crew that touched the asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos - even in small amounts - is linked to the later development of asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other respiratory diseases. In recent years, the number of cases of mesothelioma as a result of second-hand asbestos exposure have increased.

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