Please see the following message from TOAST Principal Sophia Newell.
I am writing to let you know that we will be undertaking an unanticipated asbestos abatement project during spring recess after contractors identified asbestos in an area above the ceiling in room 137K – the office of Community School Site Coordinator Micaela Townsend.
A worker was in Ms. Townsend’s office Monday evening upgrading the controls for our building’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling system. A member of the Turner Construction team entered the room to survey unrelated work in the same area and spotted material he thought might contain asbestos. Out of an abundance of caution, the room was immediately sealed off. An environmental consultant was contacted, and they collected samples of the material for laboratory testing.
Please note that the material was found above existing ceiling tiles that have been in place for many months – likely, years. The suspect material is from the original plaster ceiling installed in that space.
We learned Wednesday afternoon that tests confirmed the presence of asbestos in the material and immediately began securing the necessary permits and taking steps to undertake asbestos abatement. The room has remained sealed off since Monday and will remain so until the abatement work is completed.
State and federal regulations for asbestos abatement require proper signage, sealing (or tenting) the area, a ventilation system to generate negative air so no air escapes the tent, and independent third-party environmental monitoring. Asbestos abatement in particular requires signs to be posted about the project before work begins. You will see those signs in the building in the coming days.
The work will begin during spring break, April 18-22, to avoid disruption at school. It will be performed by a licensed contractor that will follow New York State Industrial Code Rule 56 to ensure the area is safe for families and staff.
If you have any questions or concerns about the work, please feel free to call me at school at (518) 475-6875, or Director of Facilities Planning Don Opperman at (518) 475-6109.
