Wyoming Honor Farm building evacuated due to asbestos

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Wyoming Honor Farm building evacuated due to asbestos

Billings Gazette

By The Associated Press

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/09/21/news/wyoming/38-

honorfarm.txt

RIVERTON - A small building housing the medical department at the

Wyoming Honor Farm was evacuated until further notice after tests

found toxic mold and asbestos dust, the state Department of

Corrections said.

" The safety of our staff and inmates is our primary concern, " Tony

Thornton, associate warden at the Honor Farm, said in a

statement. " We've acted promptly to protect the health of everyone

concerned. "

On Aug. 21, staff with Prison Health Services - the medical

contractor for the Corrections Department - voiced concerns about

being exposed to air being circulated from the basement. They were

specifically concerned about exposure to toxic mold due to some

recent flooding in that area of the building, according to a

department news release.

Wyoming Honor Farm administrators contacted the Department of

Environmental Quality and the PHS site administrator contacted

Occupational Health and Safety Administration. A DEQ examination of

the basement on Aug. 27 suggested that the area should be tested for

asbestos.

OSHA collected samples from the basement on Aug. 29 and informed the

minimum-security prison on Thursday that its tests found some toxic

mold and asbestos dust in the basement.

Prison administrators immediately closed the building and relocated

medical operations to another site where they will continue medical

services temporarily.

Individuals who have been in the building's basement area over the

past several weeks will have a routine chest X-ray taken. Costs for

the testing will be paid for by the Corrections Department.