Just Discovered the problem

[Guest guest]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

standing black, slimy water for the past several years.

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

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

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

burst because all the water was being dispelled just outside the

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

up so many sump pumps.

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

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

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

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

may want to get our duct work fixed and sanitized.

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

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

mouldy ceiling tiles.

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

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

said the company will never pay for that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

find myself more tired than normal.

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

and I was coughing.

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

with the mold.

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

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

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

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

hours.

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

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

open to suggestions from the group.