-February 27, 2008
Several cancer deaths are being investigated involving employees of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.
All of the employees were reportedly diagnosed with mesothelioma and spent a significant amount of time at the Kezar Pavilion offices.
Employees Become Victims of Mesothelioma
Allan Lemar Morrison, Paula Hamilton, and Tom Sandoval are just a few of the employees that fell victim to the fatal disease known as mesothelioma, which is linked to asbestos exposure.
All of these employees reportedly spent a good amount of time at the Kezar Pavilion offices and since their deaths, three others have developed tumors.
Workers Believe Asbestos is to Blame
City officials say that despite the presence of asbestos in the building, they don't find it to be a risk to employees.
However, employees believe that the cancer cases and illnesses are related to the facility and are due to the asbestos workers are being exposed to on a daily basis.
“There's something in the building, in the environment, that's getting us sick,” explains Tom Sandoval, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, “with the small staff we had, it's way beyond normal.”
According to Margot Reed, an organizer with SEIU Local 1021, the union expects to meet with managers at the facility within the next month.
(Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
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