Employees Return to Federal Building after Year-Long Asbestos-Caused Absence

Federal workers in Oak Ridge, Tennessee will spend the next month moving back into their offices at the Joe L. Evins Federal Building after being forced out more than a year ago due to the discovery of asbestos dust in the buildings heating and air conditioning system.

An article in Oak Ridge Today reports that some 350 workers were displaced in June 2012 when inspectors noticed that loose asbestos-containing insulation had fallen into the duct work and may have been circulating throughout the building, putting those individuals at risk for asbestos exposure. Most of those employees had to move to other locations while the U.S. General Services Administration, which owns the building, hired asbestos contractors to remove the old, damaged insulation.

Last year, after the material was discovered, air testing determined that employees were not exposed to asbestos dust, but that didn’t stop many who came to work daily at the 42-year-old building from being concerned about their health. In past news articles, many expressed their concern about the asbestos-containing insulation that had apparently been glued to metal ductwork but had come loose. Some plan to regularly undergo chest x-rays or other screening tests due to fears about diseases like mesothelioma, which can go undetected for decades and then appear suddenly.

The asbestos insulation was actually quite widespread, reports Saudia Muwwakkil, regional public affairs officer for the General Services Administration.

“The project included removal of asbestos-containing material from HVAC fan coils and pipe chases, demolition and construction of affected wall partitions, and surface cleaning on floors, ceilings, and walls,” said Muwwakkil, noting that the work affected about 92 percent of the facility.