In San Francisco there appear to be major problems at the Hall of Justice.
Not only has it suffered several electrical outages recently, but there are longstanding worries about the state of the building and its safety risks.
With the electricity outages, elevators became stuck and police departments had to work using extension cords running from one end of the building to another just to stay operational. Legal work could not be done due to no access to computers and there was no power in the jail facility for inmates.
In addition, ceilings leak and windows have sandbags on them to keep out the rain. Not only that, there is a vermin problem and the building is littered with mousetraps.
Apart from those health and safety hazards there is asbestos visible in the floors and in the walls and some fire exits are blocked which could prove catastrophic in the event of a fire.
Although it is programmed to replace the Hall of Justice, due to the cost, an estimated $1.2 billion, it will not happen overnight. People are being moved out department by department with the police department due to move first.
At the moment around 800 people work in the building, built in 1958, including all areas of law enforcement. It has been deemed unsafe by engineers and public works officials three times since 1992.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an asbestos related disease, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer, contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP at (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation. You may be entitled to an asbestos payout as part of an individual or class action lawsuit.
