Prison workers intend to sue

[Guest guest]

Prison workers intend to sue

Saturday, November 19, 2005

By PRECIOUS PETTY

The Express-Times

EASTON,PA

http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-

3/113239464917220.xml & coll=2

Six Northampton County Prison guards sickened by exposure to mold

filed notice Friday of their intent to sue the county and several

past and present county officials.

A construction company, an environmental cleanup contractor and a

food services corporation are also named as defendants in the

document.

The plaintiffs suffered both respiratory and gastrointestinal

infections after an ongoing expansion at the jail stirred up mold

that contaminated the air and food there, according to their

attorney, P. Karoly Jr.

County officials have long known mold is a problem at the prison,

but did not act quickly enough to fix it, he said.

" It's been a continuing condition which there have been recent

efforts to remediate, but not until after there has been some

serious exposure, " Karoly said.

Crews called in to clean up the mold only worsened the problem,

Karoly said.

" They created additional exposures at a time when they were supposed

to be remediating the mold problem, " he said.

Also, Karoly said his clients meals were fouled by mold because of

flaws in the jail food service provider's storage and preparation

methods.

The county is trying to cover up the mold problem, he said. " These

plaintiffs have been attempting to get more information about what

they've been exposed to and they've been denied that information. "

The plaintiffs are Ferraro, of Nazareth; , of

Bethlehem; Craig Schrader, of Upper Saucon Township;

Sikorsky, of Lower Towamensing Township, Pa.; and Quinter, of

Nazareth.

All of the men have received medical treatment for their illnesses

and a few of them were hospitalized, Karoly said. They continue to

work at the prison, he said.

Northampton County Executive Glenn Reibman, who is named in the

notice, did not return a phone call for comment Friday evening.

Other defendants named in the notice are former Director of

Corrections , Director of Corrections Todd Buskirk,

Acting Warden Hoke, J. Keating Construction Company, of

Philadelphia, CMC Environmental Hazard Abatement Inc., of Jim

Thorpe, Pa., and Aramark Correctional Services, Inc., of

Philadelphia.

Karoly said he was uncertain when the actual suit would be filed

because he is still researching the case. Attorneys typically file a

notice of intent to sue in order to reserve the right to file a suit

at a later date before the statute of limitations expires.

In 2003, state prison inspectors found moldy areas and moisture-

related damage in the prison. The mold was blamed on a leaky shower

system in one of the cell blocks.

At the time officials acknowledged that the mold was a " very

serious " health risk and said they intended to replace the shower

system.

Reporter Precious Petty can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail

at ppetty@....