Re: Just Discovered the problem

July 18, 2004

Look for a new job immediately! Get out while you are still able to.

Yes, your fatigue and joint pain can certainly be caused by the mold.

Your boss may not be as allergic to the mold as you are, but other

side effects will eventually take their toll on her. Cancer is one of

them. No one will get out of that place unscathed.

Meanwhile, you need to get to a GOOD environmental doctor - one who is

recommended from this group. You might possibly be able to get

Workman's Comp or disability if you see the right doctor and obtain

the right lawyer. My best advice to you is to just get out!

Barth

TOXIC MOLD SURVEY: www.presenting.net/sbs/sbssurvey.html

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c> I'm new to this list. I just need to talk to someone about what I've

c> discovered at my workplace. I've worked there since November of 2003.

c> The building always had a mildew odor, but this summer it got intense.

c> I'm in and out of the office, but I try to stay away in the

c> afternoons because the air becomes " close " and I can't breathe normally.

c> We called for service on the air conditioner and they replaced a coil.

c> Still, I had trouble breathing in the afternoons. Finally, I talked

c> to the guys in the shop and asked if they smell it too. They

c> complained the odor from the " pit " was just getting worse and worse.

c> The " pit " that I thought was a well for the sump pump is actually the

c> floor of a 4 foot crawl space under the entire office. To make a long

c> story short, I discovered the fact that the company used to have

c> workers replace the sump pump in the actual well that is further in

c> the crawl space, but they quit replacing sump pumps when they just

c> kept burning up. Therefore, the crawl space has varying amounts of

c> standing black, slimy water for the past several years.

c> The off site supervisor got tired of my complaining (I guess) and told

c> me to call a plumber to replace the sump pump. The plumber told me

c> the waste pipe was never installed right and must have frozen and

c> burst because all the water was being dispelled just outside the

c> foundation and was just seeping back in. That's why we were burning

c> up so many sump pumps.

c> The plumber also said we may want to call in a heating and cooling

c> contractor because the cold air return duct work (fiberglass) got

c> saturated with water and split open like an egg. He said, we were not

c> getting any fresh air, it's sucking up air from the basement and we

c> may want to get our duct work fixed and sanitized.

c> Oh! And to make matters worse. We had a leaking roof for about six

c> months that FINALLY got fixed. On top of the wet crawl space, we have

c> mouldy ceiling tiles.

c> Bingo! I called a cleaning company that restores after floods and

c> fire. They want $350 just to look at it and to test the air. My boss

c> said the company will never pay for that.

c> I made an appointment with my doctor, but I can't get in to see him

c> for two weeks. If I avoid the office, I will be well by the time I

c> see the doctor. I was in the office on Friday and shut all the heat

c> vents and opened all the windows. I was only in the office for 4 1/2

c> hours and went to visit my mother afterwards. I couldn't even talk to

c> her without gasping for air. She told me it remined her of when she

c> had asthma and how tired she always was from struggling for air. I

c> find myself more tired than normal.

c> The next morning (Saturday at home) I noticed I could take in more air

c> and I was coughing.

c> I'm wondering if my fatique and joint pain also has someting to do

c> with the mold.

c> I'm also puzzed that my boss doesn't seem to suffer any ill affects.

c> She's worked there for over 10 years. One of the workers in the shop

c> developed allergies in the past year. He's been there 3 years and

c> works inside only in the mornings and late afternoons for a couple of

c> hours.

c> Do I go back to the office and breath the poison air just so my doctor

c> can see how I'm afected? That seems like a stupid thing to do. I'm

c> open to suggestions from the group.

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July 18, 2004