Cullen & Sons fined for asbestos violations during 2005 project

J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc., Janesville, must pay $25,000 in fines for asbestos violations committed during a 2005 project in Janesville, a Rock County Circuit Court judge ruled Tuesday.

According to the civil complaint, Cullen bid on and won the general contract let by the city of Janesville to renovate the interior of its public building at 18 N. Jackson St.

The city had identified in its plans and specifications the presence of asbestos in pipe elbows and mastic but not in ceiling materials. Cullen, according to the complaint, did not inspect the ceiling for asbestos prior to its demolition.

During renovation of the building, Cullen employees demolished a plaster ceiling on the first floor of the Municipal Building, which was found to contain asbestos, according to the complaint. The complaint alleges that the demolition of the asbestos-containing ceiling violated Wisconsin law because it had not been thoroughly inspected prior to its demolition, and that Cullen failed to notify the state’s Department of Natural Resources at least 10 working days prior to beginning its renovation activity.

In addition, according to the complaint, various required asbestos handling procedures and supervision requirements were not followed during the removal of the ceiling.

Once the asbestos debris was discovered, renovation stopped and the site was properly abated, according to the complaint.