Defunct California Nonprofit Accused of Exposing Students to Asbestos
By Jim Greene
Published on May 28, 2010
Three managers of a now-defunct California nonprofit set up to teach construction skills to young people knowingly exposed dozens of students to asbestos fibers, according to Merced County prosecutors. The three are accused of assigning students to remove asbestos from a building on a decommissioned Air Force base without providing proper protection.
Inhaling asbestos fibers is the only known cause of mesothelioma, an incurable cancer that attacks the outer lining of the lungs and heart and the inner lining of the chest walls and abdomen.
Nonprofit Hired by County Education Officials to Teach Skills
The accused, Patrick Bowman, Joseph Cuellar, and Rudy Buendia, were managers of Firm Build, established in 1999 as a nonprofit spinoff of the Merced County Housing Authority. Firm Build was initially contracted by the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) to teach construction skills to continuation students at a community school.
In 2005, MCOE leased a building at the former Castle Air Force Base, decommissioned in 1995, and contracted Firm Build to convert it to an automotive skills training center. The building was known to contain lead-based paint, black mold, contaminants from ground water, and asbestos.
According to prosecutors, Firm Build deceived officials of Merced County and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District by not disclosing the extent of work being done on the MCOE project, including asbestos removal by students, which began in September 2005.
Electrician Witnesses Illegal Asbestos Removal by Students
In February 2006, a union electrician witnessed Firm Build students removing asbestos without proper protective gear and informed his boss, who filed a complaint with the air district. As a result, professional asbestos abatement crews were hired to finish the job.
The Merced County District Attorney's Office received a tip in November 2009 about the illegal removal of asbestos by Firm Build students and began the investigation that led to the arrest of the three suspects on felony charges of child endangerment and exposure to harmful materials.
If you developed mesothelioma cancer after exposure to asbestos, or have lost a loved one to this terminal disease, contact an experienced attorney. You may be eligible to receive compensation to help you pay medical bills and provide for your family's financial security in your absence.
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