The Office of Special Counsel has said that many of whistleblowers’ allegations of exposure of agency employees and patients to asbestos fiber at the VA facility in Bedford, Mass., have been confirmed.
The allegations were confirmed by the IG of that department after referral from the OSC, which said that the facility “failed to implement a robust safety inspection program to identify contaminated work spaces.”
“Thanks to courageous whistleblowers coming forward to report these failures, the facility is now taking this problem seriously, monitoring employee health, and carrying out more fulsome measures to ensure safety for employees and veterans,” it said.
Responses include developing procedures to ensure workspaces are evaluated before construction or renovations begin, additional asbestos awareness training for employees, and medical surveillance where appropriate, the OSC said.
