Two employees of thee Potsdam Civic Center recently died of cancer, and their co-workers are concerned about the safety of their workplace. In May 2009, senior clerk Sharon. M. LaDuke died of mesothelioma. In June, tax collector Linda M. Powers died of ovarian cancer.
Since Ms. LaDuke died, the air inside the civic center has been tested three times by Atlantic Testing Laboratories. There is still asbestos insulation present in the civic center, surrounding pipes and in the tiles of the courtroom ceiling, but the presence of undisturbed asbestos does not present a health risk. Only when the asbestos materials are disturbed or break down, releasing asbestos into the air, does the presence of old asbestos materials present a serious risk. The first air tests came back with a “non-detection” level, meaning that no airborne asbestos fibers were detected in the air. Results of the June 24 air tests have not yet been released.
A representative from the New York State Department of Labor, Clifford R. Donaldson, stopped by on July 3 to address the concerns of civic center employees who are worried about their own health. He advised the workers to monitor their own health carefully and talk to their doctors if they have any concerns. He also urged workers to become well informed about symptoms they should be watching for and be aggressive about their own health care.
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