K.L.F. Enterprises, Waukegan: OSHA silica citation

Inspection reason: A complaint inspection was opened after investigators noticed employees working without protective equipment. The site had piles of debris and steel I-beams, and the former Lakes Behavioral Health hospital was being structurally demolished.

Silica dust: the findings

• Employees exposed to silica, asbestos and lead did not get medical surveillance
• Cited because silica materials and waste were handled poorly at the site

More hazards in this citation

• The citation covered 36 safety and health violations altogether, one willful: the employer knew from a 2019 building survey that asbestos-containing material was present but failed to tell employees and other contractors
• Demolition and disturbance of asbestos fireproofing continued, with no work stoppage, no protective equipment required, and no training to help employees recognize and avoid hazards
• Fall protection around floor openings was not adequate

The employer's time to answer the citation: Once the citations arrived, the companies had 15 working days to comply, to ask the OSHA area director for an informal conference, or to contest them before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Were you a K.L.F. Enterprises worker?

Silica dust gets released from concrete, brick and stone when demolition, cutting and drilling happen on building sites. If your employer was K.L.F. Enterprises, a silicosis claim typically begins with workers' comp; a lawyer can see if a product manufacturer or another contractor could also be sued.