Asbestos was used in a myriad of places. In schools, we have clients who were exposed simply from ceiling tiles and floor tiles that were broken and deteriorating, contaminating hallways and classrooms with a layer of dust. Ceiling tiles would often crumble from above, leaving a layer of dust on desks in classrooms. Beyond that, we’ve represented workers throughout the school who spent time in the boiler rooms. In the boiler rooms, much of the equipment and piping would be insulated with asbestos. After years and years of wear and tear, that insulation would be deteriorating off of the boilers, off of the piping, and the ancillary equipment such as pumps and valves. All of that friable dust would be in the air, contaminating the workers.

I’ve represented men who worked at various schools throughout New York, removing windows and replacing windows. The existing windows were lined with contaminated asbestos-containing caul. To remove that caul, he would have to chisel it out. It was as hard as rocks. Years and years of staying in this one spot made it cement-like. Removing that existing caulk created a lot of dust. In doing all of that work, he would have to get into the walls. The walls had layers of joint compound on it that he would have to dig through.

All of these different areas, particularly at schools, are a source of exposure not only for students and teachers but for workers who happen to be in them.