Opinion ID: 2068957
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Absolute Liability Count

Text: In reviewing the grant of a summary judgment motion, this Court employs the same standard on review as the trial justice. We must examine all of the pleadings, memoranda and affidavits in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Rustigian v. Celona, 478 A.2d 187, 190 (R.I. 1984). See also Boland v. Town of Tiverton, 670 A.2d 1245, 1248 (R.I.1996). The question of whether a defendant should be held strictly liable for ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous activities is a question of law. Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. v. American Cyanamid Co., 916 F.2d 1174 (7th Cir.1990); Perez v. Southern Pacific Transportation Co., 180 Ariz. 187, 883 P.2d 424 (1993). Absolute liability attaches only to ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous activities and not to ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous materials. G.J. Leasing Co. v. Union Electric Co., 854 F.Supp. 539, 567-69 (S.D.Ill.1994). See also Perez, 180 Ariz. at 189, 883 P.2d at 426 ([i]n such an analysis properties of the particular substance are not determinative, rather the defendant's activity as a whole is analyzed). [I]f the rule were otherwise, virtually any commercial activity involving substances which are dangerous in the abstract automatically would be deemed as abnormally dangerous. This result would be intolerable. G.J. Leasing Co., 854 F.Supp. at 568 (quoting City of Bloomington, Ind. v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., 891 F.2d 611, 615-17 (7th Cir.1989)). Although asbestos is understandably an ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous material, Certified's activities in this case were not ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous. An analysis of whether an activity is ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous requires a consideration of the following factors, as set forth in the Restatement (Second) Torts § 520 (1977): (a) existence of high degree of risk of some harm to the person, land or chattels of others; (b) likelihood that the harm that results from it will be great; (c) inability to eliminate the risk by the exercise of reasonable care; (d) extent to which the activity is not a matter of common usage; (e) inappropriateness of the activity to the place where it is carried on; and (f) extent to which its value to the community is outweighed by its dangerous attributes. Those factors are to be viewed as a whole and the weight apportioned to each should be dependent upon the facts in each particular case. Perez, 180 Ariz. at 188-89, 883 P.2d at 426. In this appeal, while we recognize that great harm might result from ingestion of asbestos fibers, the risk thereof resulting from Certified's limited activities, leaves that probability on the facts here, most improbable because its activities were in fact carried out safely and with the exercise of reasonable care. [A]n activity is not abnormally dangerous if the risks therefrom could be limited by the exercise of reasonable care. G.J. Leasing Co., 854 F.Supp. at 568. Cf. Ganton Technologies, Inc. v. Quadion Corp., 834 F.Supp. 1018, 1020 (N.D.Ill.E.D. 1993)(clean up of PCB's from an industrial site is not an abnormally dangerous activity that warrants the application of strict liability). Certified's activities in this case were appropriate because in the demolition of buildings possibly containing asbestos it is necessary prior to demolition to inspect for asbestos in order to reduce potential health risks. Nothing required to be performed by Certified created or gave rise to the conditions complained of by the Splendorios. It was Bilray's unanticipated and unlawful actions that created the conditions complained of by them. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the value to the community of Certified's activities far outweighed its dangerous attributes. [C]leanup operations serve the valuable and essential social function of reducing the danger of potentially harmful substances such as asbestos. Id. at 1021. Therefore, public policy, as well as the other factors listed in Restatement (Second) Torts § 520, support our conclusion that Certified could not on the facts present in this case be held strictly liable for its activities. Accordingly, Certified is not liable under the theory of strict liability to the Splendorios and the grant of Certified's motion for summary judgment was proper.