Complaints spur Noble to test building for mold

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Complaints spur Noble to test building for mold

Sickened county workers petition

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Fort Wayne,IN

By Kara Lopp

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/17233625.htm

The building that houses Noble County's Children and Family Services

will be checked for mold this week after employees complained,

county officials said.

The county commissioners have received a petition – signed by 17 & #8194;

employees – saying they were abnormally ill this winter and want to

rule out mold as a cause for the illnesses.

An inspector from the Indiana Department of Health will try to do

just that in a visit to the annex on Weber Road this week,

Commissioner Mark Pankop said. The building houses the Noble County

Department of Child Services.

Sue Romans, director of the department, told Pankop several weeks

ago that she was concerned mold was making her employees sick, but

according to county policy a petition had to be submitted before the

commissioners could act, he said.

The signatures were collected April & #8194;4 through 12, according to the

one-page petition, and submitted May 4.

Romans could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Noble County health officer Dr. Gerald Warrener said employees

suffered symptoms such as sinus congestion, persistent coughs and

chest tightness, though the county hasn't had any reports from these

employees of serious illnesses, he said. Warrener didn't know

whether the employees who signed the petition had to miss work

because of the illnesses.

Though the employees who signed the petition said they were sicker

than usual this winter, that doesn't mean mold is to blame, Warrener

said.

Pankop said checking county buildings for mold is a common procedure

in the county. The county's south complex – which houses offices

such as the health department and surveyor – was tested for mold

about a year ago as was the courthouse, Pankop said. Employees asked

for those inspections as well, he said.

If the tests reveal mold is in the building the county will act

quickly to get rid of it, Pankop said.

" If you can pinpoint it and remedy the situation, that's what you're

looking for, " he said.

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