Protect Workers, East Boston Residents, Hotel Employees, Guests, and the Public

To:

• Jamsan Construction Management

• Jamsan Hotel Management

• The property’s ownership and development entities

• Choice Hotels International and the Cambria Hotels brand

• City of Boston Inspectional Services Department

• Boston Public Health Commission

• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

• Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health

• Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration

• United States Environmental Protection Agency

We, the undersigned workers, East Boston residents, labor organizations, community organizations, public officials, advocates, and concerned members of the public, demand that the opening and occupancy of the Cambria Hotel at 155 Porter Street in East Boston be halted until all relevant investigations are completed and the property’s asbestos, lead, structural, environmental, occupational-health, and building-safety questions have been independently resolved.

This petition does not declare that the completed hotel is currently contaminated or structurally unsafe. Those determinations must be made by qualified government agencies, environmental professionals, occupational-health specialists, and engineers.

However, workers’ accounts and the project’s own records establish more than enough reason for an immediate, transparent, and coordinated investigation before workers, guests, or the public are asked to enter or occupy the property.

A 2018 asbestos and lead survey identified asbestos-containing materials and documented areas that could not be fully inspected. A December 2022 environmental report identified asbestos-containing roofing, flashing, roof penetrations, chimney coatings, mastics, floor leveler, and window caulking.

A subsequent non-traditional asbestos work plan states that asbestos roofing debris fell to the ground during roof-abatement work. It also states that MassDEP found that some asbestos waste bags had not been adequately wetted before they were sealed.

Project records further reference structural repairs or headers “not on plans,” tower steel, shoring, brackets and welding, slab supports, retaining-wall work, roof leaks, stair modifications, and an elevator pit described as “out of square.”

Workers have separately reported respiratory symptoms, inadequate protective equipment, uncertainty about the substances they encountered, fear of bringing dust home on their clothing, and pressure or retaliation after raising concerns.

These accounts remain allegations requiring investigation. They must not be ignored, minimized, or treated as less important than the commercial opening of a hotel.

WE COLLECTIVELY DEMAND:

1. Halt the hotel opening

The City of Boston and every agency with jurisdiction must withhold or suspend any authorization for opening, occupancy, or guest operations until all necessary investigations have been completed.

The property must not open based solely on company assurances. Opening should occur only after qualified, independent professionals and responsible agencies provide written findings establishing that applicable environmental, occupational-health, structural, building, fire, and occupancy requirements have been satisfied.

2. Conduct a coordinated independent investigation

OSHA, MassDEP, the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards, DPH, the Attorney General’s Office, the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Inspectional Services, EPA, and other agencies with jurisdiction must coordinate their reviews rather than referring the matter from one office to another.

The investigation must include worker interviews conducted confidentially and with language access, informed consent, protection from retaliation, and the opportunity for workers to have advocates present.

3. Verify that all asbestos was properly abated

Jamsan and the responsible contractors must produce:

• All asbestos surveys and supplemental inspections

• MassDEP and DLS notifications and approvals

• Non-traditional work-plan approvals

• Contractor and worker licenses

• Worker-training and medical-clearance records

• Respirator fit-testing records

• Daily abatement logs

• Personal and perimeter air-monitoring results

• Project-monitor reports

• Waste shipment and disposal records

• Soil-removal and soil-testing records

• Photographs and corrective-action records

• Final visual-inspection and clearance documents

Massachusetts requires asbestos-abatement notifications and regulates removal, handling, transportation, and disposal. DLS regulates occupational asbestos exposure and licenses asbestos contractors, while MassDEP regulates environmental handling and disposal requirements. No unsupported statement of “completion” should substitute for the required documentation and independent verification.

4. Investigate and address all lead hazards

Qualified inspectors must evaluate whether lead-containing materials were disturbed during demolition, renovation, cutting, sanding, cleanup, or other construction activities.

The responsible companies must produce all lead surveys, testing results, contractor licenses, training records, exposure assessments, respiratory-protection records, cleanup records, and clearance findings.

Any remaining lead hazard must be contained or abated by properly trained and licensed professionals in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

5. Test the property and surrounding environment

Independent testing must address areas where workers, residents, or the public could reasonably have encountered project-related dust or debris, including:

• Interior work areas

• Roof and exterior surfaces

• Sidewalks and public-access areas

• Soil surrounding the property

• Waste-storage and loading areas

• Nearby properties where appropriate

• Drainage and stormwater pathways

• Workers’ changing, break, and storage areas

Testing methods, laboratory results, professional interpretations, and clearance findings must be released publicly in a form understandable to workers and East Boston residents.

6. Provide medical screening to East Boston residents

The responsible companies must fund a confidential, independent community-health screening program available without cost to all East Boston residents who are concerned about potential exposure associated with the project, with particular outreach to nearby residents, children, pregnant people, older adults, people with respiratory conditions, and households located near the property.

The program must provide appropriate medical consultation and, when clinically recommended, respiratory evaluation, blood-lead testing, zinc protoporphyrin testing, specialist referrals, and follow-up care.

7. Cover medically necessary expenses

Workers and East Boston residents must not be left with medical bills while agencies investigate what occurred.

The responsible companies must pay all reasonable and medically necessary expenses—including testing, treatment, prescriptions, specialist appointments, transportation, interpretation, mental-health support, and continuing medical monitoring—for workers and residents with documented or medically suspected exposure reasonably connected to the project.

No person should be required to waive employment, workers’ compensation, whistleblower, civil, environmental, or other legal rights to receive testing or medical assistance.

8. Protect and compensate affected workers

The companies must immediately prohibit retaliation and participate in independent mediation concerning workers’ retaliation claims.

Workers must receive appropriate relief for any retaliation, wage loss, termination, loss of benefits, medical expenses, physical injury, emotional harm, or other damages established through investigation, mediation, settlement, or legal proceedings.

9. Meet with the workers and coalition

Authorized representatives of Jamsan Construction Management, Jamsan Hotel Management, the property ownership, Choice Hotels/Cambria, and relevant contractors must meet with affected workers and coalition representatives at the MassCOSH offices.

The representatives must have authority to negotiate remedies, worker protections, medical coverage, compensation, disclosure of records, and a binding corrective-action agreement.

A public-relations statement is not a substitute for appearing at the table.

10. Preserve and disclose the complete record

All relevant records must be preserved immediately, including environmental, construction, engineering, employment, payroll, medical-referral, insurance, inspection, permitting, change-order, communication, photograph, video, air-monitoring, waste-disposal, and clearance records.

11. Release an independent public clearance report

Before any opening or occupancy, the agencies and independent professionals conducting the reviews must issue a written public report explaining:

• What was inspected and tested

• What records were reviewed

• What hazards were identified

• What corrective measures were completed

• Whether additional remediation is required

• Whether workers and residents require notification or monitoring

• Who performed and verified the work

• Whether the property satisfies applicable requirements for occupancy

OUR MESSAGE IS CLEAR

The commercial opening of a hotel cannot take priority over workers’ lungs, families’ health, or the safety of the East Boston community.

We are not asking the public to take our word for it.

We are asking the companies to produce the records.

We are asking the agencies to investigate.

We are asking independent professionals to test and verify.

Until that work is completed—and until asbestos, lead, structural, occupational-health, and retaliation concerns are properly addressed—the Cambria Hotel at 155 Porter Street should not open.

Protect workers. Protect East Boston. Investigate before occupancy.

SIGN THE PETITION

Name: __________________________________________

Organization, if applicable: __________________________

East Boston resident: Yes _____ No _____

Email or telephone: _________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________

Signing this petition expresses support for the requested investigation and protective actions. It does not constitute a representation that any disputed allegation, present contamination, medical causation, structural defect, or legal liability has already been conclusively established.