http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-a1oshanov23,0,6204176.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
November 23, 2006
State labor officials have fined the town for two safety violations at the Greenwich Police Department found during an inspection that prompted the removal of lead dust and correction of fire hazards in the building.
The state labor department's Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the town $400 on Nov. 8 because four doors in the building at 15 Havemeyer Place did not unlock when the fire alarm was triggered, said Tom Hozebin, assistant state director for the agency.
The town was not fined for lead dust found in the basement, but was cited for failure to meet OSHA's standards for keeping workplace surfaces clean of lead dust, Hozebin said.
Air sampling did not find any airborne lead dust, a more serious health threat, Hozebin said.
"The testing required us to go back and do air sampling, in which we found nothing," Hozebin said. "It was a housekeeping violation, and it is my understanding it has already been taken care of."
Town Building Superinten-dent Alan Monelli said the doors that were deemed unsafe led into and out of administrative areas and have been rewired to automatically unlock when the building's fire alarm is triggered
Previously, workers needed to push a button to release the doors, he said.
Town building department workers have also posted throughout the building exit signs and floor-plan maps showing the two emergency exits on the ground floor, Monelli said.
The lead dust was found on a pipe running along the ceiling of a custodian's office, he said.
The town's entire police department moved into the building in June before the demolition of the former Police Administration Building. The department is expected to stay until a new police building opens in 2009.
The inspection in September was spurred by an anonymous complaint through the Silver Shield Association police union.
Silver Shield Association President Sgt. James Bonney yesterday said he was happy that the state was able to identify the problems and get them fixed.
"Any time the members are safer at work it is a good outcome," Bonney said. "When there is a fire in the building and you are locked in that is a serious concern. We have a lot of people in the detectives' division, such as victims being interviewed, and now we are assured we will be able to get out."
Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.