TOSHA, Read House resolve asbestos investigation

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) has resolved their investigation into asbestos at the Read House hotel in downtown Chattanooga.

The Read House says citations were issued on January 19, 2018.

According to the Read House, the investigation did not find any employees or guests were injured nor exposed to asbestos materials in the hotel.

The Read House says that as part of the resolution following the investigation, TOSHA eliminated one citation, reduced the fines, and downgraded the remaining citations to “Other Than Serious”.

The Read House also says TOSHA agreed the hotel has addressed and abated the citations.

Renovations are underway at the Read House and asbestos materials found are being removed in compliance with TOSHA requirements, the hotel says.

In a press release from the hotel, Owner & President of Avocet Hospitality Group which owns a The Read House hotel Jon Weitz says, “We are very thankful that we were finally presented with the opportunity to sit down with TOSHA and review the facts surrounding the investigation and subsequent citations. I think there has been a lot of confusion and misinformation concerning what prompted this investigation. Now that this is resolved, we can definitively state that there was never any claim or finding that anyone was ever injured or exposed to asbestos at The Read House Hotel. There is a big difference between “actual” asbestos and “presumed” asbestos. There is nothing to indicate that anyone was actually exposed.”