Guest guest Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Hi, I just read your article and have to tell you that an illness from mold is very serious and can be life threatening! I am a victim of toxic mold from my workplace and can honestly tell you that I had chronic flu like symptoms and have been under a Drs. care for 3 yrs. My illness has been an absolute nightmare and my life as I knew it will never be the same. Below are some excellent sources of information to pass on to anyone who is sick. _www.chronicneurotoxins.com_ (http://www.chronicneurotoxins.com) _www.moldwarriors.com_ (http://www.moldwarriors.com) _www.schoolmoldhelp.org_ (http://www.schoolmoldhelp.org) _www. _ (http://www. ) Another 5 attachments are below. Feel free to contact me anytime. CLEANUP SOUGHT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Well, isn't this something.This is such a fine example of mold ignorance, I think I'll frame it. thanks kc, I think I'll send some info. to this reporter. > > CLEANUP SOUGHT | Employees at KC Police Headquarters say they are > sick too often > Mold worries surface > Workers contend that City Hall has ignored the issue for 17 months. > They hope for a resolution soon. > > Kansas City Star - MO > > By CHRISTINE VENDEL > The Kansas City Star > > http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/16562951.htm > > Mold-contaminated ductwork at Kansas City Police Headquarters has > sickened some workers for more than a year, workers say, and the > problem may be worsening. > > They contend that City Hall has ignored the issue for 17 months, > even though the city owns the 69-year-old building and is > responsible for maintaining it. > > They point out that: > > •Four different lab tests have confirmed higher-than-normal mold > levels on the building's fifth and sixth floors. > > •Two contractors have recommended the ductwork be cleaned. > > •Employees wrote memos in May and June 2005 documenting their > otherwise unexplainable symptoms. Police officials informed city > officials in August 2005. > > This month, police officials said they thought the cleanup was > delayed because the city lacked money. But the city's former > facilities manager, Bob Lawler, said he didn't act because he > thought the issue lacked urgency. > > " It's not like it's a serious health issue, unless a person is > particularly sensitive to that mold, " he said. > > Lawler said he figured the ductwork could be cleaned or replaced > later as part of a long-term capital-improvement project, so he > filed away the paperwork. He left his post in August for another > city job. > > Asked whether it was significant that eight of 12 employees in a > sixth-floor office suffered symptoms, Lawler said he had not been > told specifics about employees' health, only that some had > complained. > > " It wasn't like they were taking people to the hospital, " he said. > > Three fugitive unit employees have had nasal or sinus surgery, and > five others have visited doctors because of their symptoms. > > Hearing that, Lawler said he may have made a mistake by ignoring the > problem. Yet he also questioned why police officials didn't push the > issue, move affected employees or find their own cleanup funds. > > Police officials said the cleanup is the city's responsibility. > > Lawler's successor was unaware of the issue until a Star reporter > called him this month. > > After reviewing the paperwork, new facilities manager Rives > relayed through a spokesman that " he will immediately start looking > into it and try to solve the problem. " > > Though saying the mold-spore count does not create a life- > threatening situation, spokesman Dennis Gagnon told a > reporter: " Thanks for bringing it to our attention. This is > something that needs to be dealt with. " > > , who directs the allergy and immunity research > laboratory for Children's Mercy Hospital, said he was surprised the > city hadn't acted. > > " The ductwork should be cleaned, " said after reviewing the > mold reports. " At some point it will get so bad no one will want to > be in there. " > > Lower mold levels may only affect employees with mold allergies, he > said. But as the spore count grows — and it will, if left unchecked — > more employees could be affected. > > " Someone's going to have to spend a few thousand dollars, but it > will be well worth it, " he said. " It's better than having someone on > disability. This can be a worker's compensation issue. " > > Sixth-floor fugitive unit employees report varying symptoms. > > Detective Mike said he has developed one sinus infection > after another. > > Investigative Assistant Tasha said she suffers constant > head and chest congestion. > > Detective Jana Swann's doctor told her to quit smoking to improve > her chronic bronchitis — but she has never smoked. > > " I never feel well — not sick enough to stay home in bed, but I > always feel like I'm starting to get the flu, " she said. > > The employees can't import fresh air, because the windows were > welded shut years ago when the area served as a detention area. > > Detective Al Devalkenaere said his symptoms seemed to improve after > he left in 2002 for another unit. He now takes fewer sick days. > > When employees first tried to determine what caused their symptoms, > they wondered about mysterious black specks that fell from air vents > onto their desks each day. > > The specks also filter into an adjoining office for the media > relations unit. Jim Strahle, an employee there, grew tired of wiping > the residue off his desk. In 2005 he fashioned a catch pan under the > air vent using foam board suspended by four paperclips. > > Strahle said he never noticed any health issues. His office mate, > Suzie McHale, however, said she suffers from allergies and > immediately noticed the mold after being hired in 2005. > > " I always have a Kleenex with me, " she said, clutching a > tissue. " It's just not normal to have a low-grade headache all the > time. " > > Fugitive unit employees pooled their money to test fleck samples in > May 2005. A lab concluded the flecks were insulation pieces from the > ductwork that were contaminated with mold, primarily aspergillus or > penicillium. > > The unit supervisor, Sgt. Hargarten, wrote a May 2005 memo > titled " Possible hazardous working environment " and outlined > problems suffered by eight of the 12 employees. > > " It is my opinion that this prevalence of these medical conditions, > in an otherwise healthy group of adults, is highly unusual, " he > wrote. > > Within days, the department's crime lab confirmed the mold. > Hargarten wrote another memo asking the department to " urgently seek > the guidance and assistance of a professional mold remediator. " > > Police officials hired an expert who concurred. They forwarded the > information to Lawler, who hired a duct-cleaning service to inspect > the building. The company recommended a " thorough cleaning " and > replacement of some ductwork. > > Lawler did not pursue the issue or get a cost estimate. > > Now, more than 20 months after the first memo was written, tiny > clumps of moldy insulation still dangle from sixth-floor air vents. > > Last year, frustrated employees taped a sign outside their office > door that read: " Mold hazard. Enter at your own risk. " > > A police official this month asked them to remove the sign. > > Employees hope the city soon hires someone to remove the mold. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- - > ----------- > To reach Vendel, call (816) 234-4438 or send e-mail to > cvendel@... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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