SAN DIEGO, Calif. — City workers were photographed handling asbestos pipes without respirators at least four times, documents uncovered by Team 10 reveal.
The photos, obtained through a public records request, are raising questions about the protection given to city workers who are sent to repair and replace crumbling asbestos pipes that deliver drinking water.
“Frankly, as a Californian, it was staggering to see workers that were cutting pipes that didn't have proper PPE and clothing,” said Linda Reinstein, co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
Team 10 filed a public records request for photos of broken asbestos concrete water pipes taken by city staff from 2015-2023.
We obtained more than 100 images of crumbling pipes. Among the photos are images showing workers cutting asbestos pipes, digging underground and replacing the leaking water mains.
The employees had hard hats, reflective vests and boots but no face respirators. Experts say they are a critical piece of protective equipment needed to stop the inhalation of dangerous asbestos fibers.
“There were many different areas in the photographs that I notice where most likely those workers were exposed,” said Reinstein, who has spent over two decades fighting for tougher legislation to protect people from the dangers of asbestos.
Experts have long agreed that inhaling asbestos fibers can cause cancer including mesothelioma years after exposure.
“I fear for the workers first of all who put it in but even those that now have to come and remove the broken pieces of pipe. I've seen disease develop in workers who have removed and worked with, as waste, asbestos cement pipe,” said Dr. Arthur Frank, an expert on asbestos disease at Drexel University.
Frank, who has spent more than 50 years researching asbestos, is also concerned the nearly 2,000 miles of aging asbestos pipes in the City of San Diego may pose a cancer risk to residents who drink tap water.
The pipes were installed after World War II until the mid-1980s when the health hazards of asbestos became known.
Several studies have found links between asbestos water mains and various cancers. But the science is not yet conclusive and remains a subject of debate in research circles.
The City of San Diego maintains the tap water is safe. However, the public utilities department admits it does not sample water for testing after it has passed through asbestos pipes where it would become contaminated.
Team 10 asked Cal/OSHA what PPE employees must wear when removing and cutting asbestos pipes.
A government spokesperson sent a state website that outlines asbestos regulations in California.
"Asbestos-cement pipe or sheet can emit airborne fibers if the materials are cut or sawed, or if they are broken,” the site says.
Employees are “required to wear a respirator when performing tasks that result in asbestos exposure that exceeds the permissible exposure level,” a section on respirators and PPE says.
It’s not clear what the exposure levels were when the photos obtained by Team 10 were taken. The legally allowed limit is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter over an 8-hour workday.
In general, the risk of asbestos exposure is greater indoors than outside. Experts warn steps still need to be taken to protect construction workers and nearby residents when asbestos pipes become exposed outdoors.
The American Cancer Society warns that asbestos fibers can become aerosolized when pipes are removed and recommends an area be sealed off before any remediation is done.
“We need to be very thoughtful and careful about that remediation process because we know that process in and of itself is going to lead to carcinogens being in the air,” said Dr. Lauren Teras, the senior director of epidemiology at the society.
The City of San Diego sent Team 10 a seven-page internal policy that outlines procedures for workers handling asbestos pipes.
“It is safe to handle asbestos concrete pipe that is in good condition without wearing additional personal protective equipment,” the policy states.
Reinstein, whose husband Alan died in 2006 after prolonged asbestos exposure, took issue with the policy.
“As a mesothelioma widow, I would say that's ridiculous. Every worker should assume that those pipes are dangerous and have the proper training and the PPE that is required to keep them safe,” she said.
City says wetting pipes protects workers
The city’s internal guidelines state the Public Utilities Department’s safety policies meet or exceed federal and state regulations.
One procedure has workers wet an asbestos pipe with water to prevent fibers from becoming airborne.
“I think that's almost impossible in the state of California, where it's 75 degrees and sunny almost all the time. It's nearly impossible to keep a pipe wet the entire time,” said Reinstein.
Frank said workers should be wearing a face respirator regardless of the legally allowed exposure level to asbestos.
“There's a lot of money involved in paying compensation to people that have been harmed and clearly people who have worked with asbestos cement pipe have been harmed,” Frank, said.
Reinstein said Team 10’s investigation shows how big of a problem legacy asbestos continues to be and why tougher rules are needed.
“There should be a massive comprehensive legislation and legacy plan to prevent all exposure in cement pipes and beyond.”
Investigative reporter Austin Grabish can be reached at austin.grabish@10news.com
