JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During the remodeling of the first floor and a portion of the second floor of Honors Hall at the University of North Florida, asbestos was discovered in small amounts.
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“Given the age of the building, and prior to any demolition work commencing, the contractor tested sample building materials for the presence of Asbestos Containing Material (ACM), a spokesperson for UNF said.
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The material, known to cause cancer, was found in samples taken of vinyl floor tile and air conditioning ductwork.
The spokesperson also said that trace amounts of asbestos fibers, which were less than one percent, were detected in samples of drywall compound, but were below the EPA standard.
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“While these ACMs did not present a hazard unless disturbed, given the scope of the remodel, an abatement contractor removed all suspect building materials within the areas of work per OSHA standards,” the spokesperson said.
As an extra precaution, UNF officials instructed employees to work remotely while work and cleanup was completed.
Final remodeling was finished last week and follow-up air results came back clean. Staff were allowed to return to work inside Honors Hall.
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“UNF follows strict OSHA standards in all construction projects, always acting out of an abundance of caution when it comes to the safety of our campus community,” UNF’s spokesperson said.
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