ConEd sued by Federal Government
 
In 1988, the US Government filed suit against ConEd for failing to adequately protect workers in charge of removing asbestos from its facilities.  The lawsuit documents stated that ConEd had transported the corroded doors of boilers without proper covering or wetting of asbestos materials, which could thus easily fill the air with dangerous asbestos dust; while the doors were carried from Brooklyn to the Bronx area.

The complaint mentioned thirteen alleged violations, one of them pertaining to the Queens Ravenswood Power Plant, while the others referred to Manhattan´s 74th Street station and the Hudson Av. station in Brooklyn.  

First outed by Ravenswood and other ConEd facility-employees, the company´s asbestos-mishandling may have put the lives of thousands of people at risk. In fact, only months before the Federal lawsuit was filed, two hundred of ConEd´s employees had just sued the company over asbestos exposure and health issues.  

The Ravenswood incidents included in the lawsuit took place in ´84 and ´85, when ConEd allegedly ''stripped a regulated amount of friable asbestos material from facility components, without adequately wetting the material with water or otherwise treating it as prescribed by E.P.A.''

Asbestos Health Risks

People who worked at Ravenswood and other ConEd plants may have been affected by asbestos contamination, which can cause cancer and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer which develops in the lungs, heart or abdomen, following the inhalation of asbestos fibers; a common occurrence in asbestos-rich industrial environments.

Lung cancer can also be caused by asbestos, while asbestosis, a respiratory disease, diminishes breathing capacity to the point that it can be fatal. Unfortunately, family members may also have been affected, as workers may have carried asbestos fibers home from the workplace.

If you were ever employed at an asbestos-containing facility, you may be at risk. You should always consult your physician, as symptoms may remain latent for up to 50 years or longer. Seeking legal advice is also a good idea, as you may be entitled to substantial compensation.