Re: Urgent Help with sick building in australia please

[Guest guest]

first thing I would do is take pictures of that mouldy stuff in the

airvent, with a few witnesses present, than take clear 2 inch tape

and stick it to it and put this in a clear ziplock bag for testing.

also get a sample of dust from her work area. these can be tested

fairly cheap at a lab.

--- In , " janebates52 " <janebates52@...>

wrote:

>

> I would be very grateful if anyone would be able to refer me to any

> publications, legislation etc to assist me in the following matter.

> (At best a starting point and some structure to enable me to

> investigate as thoroughly and time effeciently as possible.(

>

> I am currently investigating the illness of a close friend who

works

> in a building that has in the past 18 months had a) leaking

> airconditioning system & b)Water damage to walls, ceilings and

floors

> as the roof leaks each and every time it rains. The office is

> located on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and we do have

relatively

> high humidity. On inspection of the premises we have uncovered

what

> appears to be fine mould particles located on the airvent directly

> above her work station and on other vents in the office. Since

> working in the office this individual has suffered upper respitory

> tract infections, symptoms likened to a severe head cold, head

aches,

> wheezing, lack of concentration / difficulty focusing, inability to

> think clearly, chronic fatigue. Outside the office environment all

> symtpoms except the inablilty to think clearly and the feelings of

> exhaustion all but disappear over a few hours. Any test for

> legionaires has come back negative and she has been diagnosed over

> the last months as having pneumonia and is constantly on

antibiotics

> and a ventolin inhaler. (this is an above averagely fit and

healthy

> individual who's health has deterioted substanitially over the past

> 12 - 18 months.

>

> This person has been stonewalled by ineffective contact with direct

> workplace health and saftey officers and over the last 3 days has

> tendered resignation due to continued illness and fustration over

the

> companies inaction. She has yet to put any complaint in wrighting

to

> parties outside the company as we are in the early stages of

> assessing how best to handle the situation. Anything in wrighting

> goes to the workplace health and saftey governing body who then

will

> assess the severity of her complaint and decide from there what

level

> of investiation to undertake. They will not guarantee me or my

client

> to mould test. Any advice that can assist us in our action plan is

> very much appreciated.

>