WILTON — Demolition of the former Forster Manufacturing building came to a standstill Wednesday after recent testing revealed high levels of airborne asbestos.

Downeast Construction voluntarily shut down operations after Occupational Safety and Health Administration test results came back this week revealing high asbestos levels, William Coffin, area director for OSHA in Maine, said Thursday.

Police posted crime scene tape across entrances Thursday morning to keep anyone from going on to the site.

“Nobody should be in the building without proper hazard suits, respirators, boots, gloves and head protection,” Coffin said.

Those going in with protective wear can strip down when they leave. Those who aren’t protected can bring the asbestos fibers home with them, he said.

OSHA workers couldn’t go into the building Wednesday. Coffin said he wouldn’t expose his workers to the asbestos.

A couple weeks ago, OSHA representatives performed an inspection at the Depot Street plant currently being demolished for reclaimed materials.

Samplings were taken for airborne asbestos which are then sent to a national laboratory. Results came back this week showing airborne asbestos at levels higher than are permissible, he said.

OSHA representatives told the construction company about the results Wednesday. They agreed to come off the job until a licensed asbestos remediation contractor could come in and safely remove all asbestos.

Coffin believed less than 10 employees have been exposed to high levels of asbestos on the job but it goes further than just them.

A fire reported Monday at the Forster mill brought firefighters and policemen on to the site.

An air sample from across the street was also taken but test results are not back yet, he said, when asked about neighbors living near the mill.

It appears there was asbestos in materials stored across the street. The asbestos was run over by vehicles.

Once employees are made aware of their exposure to asbestos, they are advised to go through medical evaluations and chest X-rays to look for the presence of asbestos fibers. OSHA can’t make an employee pursue medical testing but they can force the employer to make the testing available to them, he said.

While some workers are exposed to asbestos all their lives and never contract Asbestosis, for others, low exposure results in the disease that can lead on to cancers.

“It’s a medical thing,” he said. “The problem is when once exposed to asbestos it can take up to 30-years to really show up. That’s why it’s important to have a chest X-ray to show if the fibers are there.”

Attempts to reach the owner of the property, Adam Mack of Portland, were unsuccessful. OSHA was also attempting to reach the owner to make him aware of the hazards, Coffin said.

Wilton Town Manager Rhonda Irish did speak with Mack Thursday. He told her he has not heard from OSHA but after receiving written findings on what needs to be done, he plans to take care of it.

Although the building is not a town-owned property, concerns over the aging, vacant building have prompted town officials to become more involved than they usually would on a private property.

Attempts to reach Ryan Byther of Downeast Construction were also unsuccessful.

Earlier this year, Mack and Josh Anderson from Downeast Construction told town Selectmen and town planners that the site passed a Department of Environmental Protection Phase I evaluation for hazardous materials. Anderson said it was given a clean bill of health with asbestos only found in the glue used on tiles on the third floor.

Last week DEP was there and voiced no concerns to the contractor or town, Irish said. They gave permission to stock pile wood across the street.

If a building with asbestos is left in tact with nothing disturbed, there isn’t a health issue. In this situation, there is a very old building being torn down, disturbing the asbestos, he said.

The owner needs to provide OSHA with proof all the asbestos is removed before demolition work can restart.

A large property, more than 200,000 square feet on 12 acres, the three story mill and basement built in sections dates back to 1903.

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