Many of the buildings in Ohio have a rich history, but not all of it may be good. Living in an older apartment building could come with certain risks to the tenants. For instance, if the structure was built decades ago, the risk of asbestos exposure remains a concern. Most residents don’t give it a thought since they expect their landlords to ensure they are safe from toxic materials.
Some tenants in another Ohio city recently discovered that tiles containing asbestos were being removed from the basement of their buildings. This came as a shock since the landlord failed to inform the tenants of the work. Moreover, they say that it appears the appropriate precautions were not taken to ensure they did not suffer exposure to toxic material.
One tenant says the doors into the building were left open, and the only cautionary information was a note to tenants not to go into the basement for 24 hours. In an email, the manager of the apartment complex claims that the work going on in the basement was tile removal and the work should not disturb any of the asbestos. The email goes on to say that tenants were never in any danger of exposure.
Even if officials determine that asbestos exposure occurred, it could be years before affected tenants know for sure whether it affected them. This is because illnesses related to the toxic material may not manifest for decades. Sadly, this type of exposure could occur more often than people realize. One wrong move by a demolition crew could contaminate an area, and only qualified individuals can carry out asbestos removal under strict circumstances, but by that time, it could be too late.
