The moving truck, trailer, and storage unit rental company U-Haul was accused of exposing workers to asbestos and fined more than $200,000 for the alleged infraction.
According to multiple reports, mechanics at a U-Haul facility in Spokane, WA, were exposed to asbestos while working on rental trucks. Deteriorating vinyl flooring in the facility contained asbestos, which is a carcinogen, meaning the material can cause cancer.
Asbestos is linked to lung cancer, ovarian cancer and a rare and especially fast-spreading cancer called mesothelioma.
U-Haul was fined $231,000 for the incident by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. The fine is for knowingly endangering workers by exposing them to the harmful substance.
Details of the U-Haul Facility Asbestos Exposure
According to a statement from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, U-Haul of Spokane bought a former K-Mart shopping center in 2019 and renovated the building into a U-Haul rental truck facility.
According to the statement, U-Haul did not test the 60-year-old building for asbestos, and therefore put workers in the renovated building in danger. Asbestos can be found in flooring – such as the vinyl flooring in the facility – along with roof tiles, siding, electrical wiring, electrical boards, and automobiles such as old trucks.
Before the U-Haul facility opened in 2023, an investigation by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency found asbestos in all 90,000 square feet of vinyl floor tiles and adhesives.
Only certified asbestos abatement workers are legally allowed in the state of Washington to remove and dispose of asbestos within buildings. According to the complaint, U-Haul hired an abatement company to remove most of the asbestos. However, when the facility opened, asbestos was present in approximately 7,500 square feet of vinyl tiles.
Making matters worse, mechanics in the facility were instructed to directly handle asbestos-containing vinyl tiles. They were told to throw away loosened tiles in the trash – rather than dispose of them properly. In other areas, workers used shovels, putty knives and a torch to remove tiles without proper safety equipment, such as respirators and protective suits.
Inspectors found that the workers were unaware they were handling asbestos and did not have the necessary training or certification for asbestos removal.
According to reports, this is not the first offense for this particular U-Haul franchise owner. They were fined by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2019 after employees used demolition equipment to remove asbestos-containing flooring.
More About Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is harmless when intact, but if disturbed, the substance can break apart. This releases weightless, microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. Workers can swallow or inhale these fibers, which are sharp and can puncture tissue linings near the lungs or abdominal cavity. The persistence of the fibers in the tissue linings can irritate cells and cause cancerous mutations.
For approximately 2,500 people in the United States each year, these cancerous mutations are mesothelioma. The cancer spreads quickly, usually to vital organs such as the lungs. The average survival time is 8-14 months, and few people live for more than 5 years after their diagnosis.
Mesothelioma Guide specializes in helping people diagnosed with mesothelioma find support resources and treatment. Our team also helps people explore legal options and resources. Contact patient advocate Carl Jewett at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com for assistance if you or someone you know was exposed to asbestos and now has cancer.
Sources & Author
- U-Haul exposed workers to asbestos, driving L&I to issue heavy fines. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Retrieved from: https://www.lni.wa.gov/news-events/article/25-05. Accessed: 02/20/2025.
- Local U-Haul franchise fined $231K for asbestos violation. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved from: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/feb/16/local-u-haul-franchise-fined-231k-for-asbestos-vio/. Accessed: 02/20/2025.
