WORCESTER

Developer settles Worcester asbestos case for $100,000

Cyrus Moulton
Cyrus.Moulton@telegram.com

WORCESTER — Local development company Hampton Properties LLC will pay $100,000 to settle allegations that it allowed workers to perform illegal asbestos work on two rental properties it owns at 113-115 Elm St., Attorney General Maura Healey announced Tuesday.

“Asbestos can endanger the health of workers and the public if not handled properly,” said Ms. Healey in an announcement of the consent judgment entered Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court. “Our office will work to ensure that all of this company’s properties are safe for all residents and will enforce state laws that are in place to protect workers and the public from the risks posed by asbestos exposure.”

The work was performed by a subcontractor, according to a statement provided by a lawyer for Hampton Properties LLC. The subcontractor was subsequently fired.

“Hampton Properties accepts responsibility for the substandard work done on this project by a subcontractor,” the company statement said.

“Once we learned the work may not have met all legal requirements, we immediately stopped work on the property and terminated this particular subcontractor. ... We understand that asbestos safety is a top priority of the Attorney General and safety is a top priority for us as well.”

Ms. Healey’s office filed a lawsuit against Hampton Properties alleging the company violated the state’s clean air law and regulations by causing or allowing unlicensed workers to remove asbestos-containing boiler components and pipe insulation from two apartment buildings without taking the proper safety precautions required. The company also allegedly unlawfully removed asbestos-containing materials and stored dry, unsealed asbestos in a dumpster behind the apartment buildings.

Following the violations, Hampton Properties cleaned up the buildings and safely completed the renovation work under supervision by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, according to the parties. In addition to paying a $100,000 penalty, Hampton Properties has agreed to hire a consultant to perform an audit of eight properties selected by the attorney general’s office and MassDEP to determine whether all asbestos-containing materials at those properties are being maintained properly and safely, according to the AG’s Office.

“Further, we have taken steps to re-enforce with our supervisors the importance of ensuring that all policies and procedures are always followed by subcontractors under Hampton Properties’ supervision,” the company statement said. “In addition, we have hired licensed asbestos inspectors to survey our properties to ensure there is no asbestos that poses a health danger on our properties.”

Asbestos is a mineral fiber used in a variety of building materials. If improperly handled or maintained, the fibers can be released into the air and inhaled, potentially resulting in life-threatening illnesses.