Mold Leaves State Labor Department Breathless

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Mold Leaves State Labor Department Breathless

Rampant Mold Causes Allergies, Respiratory Problems

KOCO - Oklahoma City,OK

http://www.koco.com/news/11641782/detail.html

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Mold is growing inside the building that houses the

state Department of Labor, where state workers are experiencing

severe allergy and respiratory problems.

Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields said Wednesday he began looking for

a permanent new office after a private air quality study performed

last month found active mold growth beneath wall coverings in his

chief of staff's office and visible mold colonies elsewhere in the

building.

" There's black mold around the window sills, " said Fields, who was

elected to the statewide office in November and began a four-year

term in January.

The study by Envirotech Service Associates of also found water

stains in ceiling tiles on several floors of the four-story leased

building, located about one mile north of the state Capitol, and

elevated levels of carbon dioxide, indicating inadequate levels of

fresh air in Labor Department offices.

Fields said he believes the air quality problems are responsible for

worker complaints of allergic reactions and respiratory difficulties.

" I noticed it myself. I started coughing and I couldn't quit, "

Fields said. He said his respiratory issues ease when he is away

from the office over a weekend but starts up again the following

week.

" It's hard to say how much it affects performance, " the labor

commissioner said. He said employees occasionally take sick leave

but it is not known whether air quality issues are entirely to blame.

The study recommends that the visible mold be removed, stained

ceiling tiles be replaced and the building's heat and air

conditioning duct work be cleaned and treated with a mold inhibitor.

Fields said it is ironic that the agency responsible for protecting

Oklahomans at their workplace is looking for ways to protect its own

workers. The agency employs about 80 people.

" No state worker should be expected to work with mold in their

environment, " he said. " Any concentration of mold in the workplace

is unacceptable. "

Fields said the California company that owns the building has

offered to fix the mold problem, but the agency will still have to

relocate during the remediation process.

" We can't be in the building while they're fixing the problem, " he

said. " We're going to have to move out of that building. We're in

the process of trying to find a new location. "

Fields said the mold problem is not new. Mold was originally

detected in 1996 but only minor repairs were made and the visible

mold was covered up.

" This should have been addressed a long time ago. It's not something

that just occurred, " he said.

The Labor Department leases about 18,000 square feet in the building

and is not the sole tenant. Fields said the state's lease expires in

October and that it currently pays about $15,000 a month for the

space.

" And they're wanting to go up, " Fields said. " Hopefully we can get

out of there. "

He said the agency is working with the Department of Central

Services and the owners of other private offices to find new space.