GRL Properties, LLC to pay fines following asbestos-related incident

A company based in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan is facing well over $100,000 in fines after state officials noted serious asbestos hazards at a building in the city of Lansing. The company, GRL Properties LLC, faces fines totaling $115,000 over asbestos issues at Lansing’s John Bean building, which is owned by the company and is home to over 30 other businesses.

The company was cited by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) on Tuesday, stating that the violations noted by their staff were both "willful" and ‘’serious”, adding that the violations showed "intentional disregard of the requirements of MIOSHA regulations, or plain indifference to employee safety and health". According to state officials, GRL and its affiliated companies have "extensive" asbestos citation histories dating back to 1996.

Asbestos exposure can prove life-threatening, as those who are exposed to asbestos fibers run the risk of developing mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. The disease, which affects thousands of Americans each year, typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms. Unfortunately, many patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis. Asbestos exposure can also cause other serious health problems, such as scarring of the lining of the lungs and chronic inflammation of the lungs.

"There was demolition going on, the asbestos wasn’t being handled correctly, the employees weren’t properly protected," said Bob Pawlowski, director of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Construction Safety and Health Division.