Workers complain of mold at Oneco Elementary

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Workers complain of mold at Oneco Elementary

Bradenton Herald - FL*

By NICHOLAS AZZARA

nazzara@...

http://www.bradenton.com/breakingnews/story/151878.html

MANATEE --For the second time in a week, mold-related health

concerns have been reported on Manatee County School District

property.

Two Oneco Elementary staffers who work in a prekindergarten school

building submitted health complaints in August, relating to

respiratory problems. Children throughout the school attend class

regularly in the Kinder-Dome, which is home to four pre-kindergarten

classrooms, one science lab and a speech therapy room. It's not the

first time mold has been detected at one of the oldest buildings on

the campus.

Complaints have not been widespread, according to principal n

Summers. The affected employees did not miss work and did not ask to

be relocated.

" No one voiced a concern about moving to another area, " Summers

said. " If there was an issue of not being able to be in the area,

I'd make the accommodations. "

Four school district employees suffered minor respiratory symptoms

and watery eyes, but missed no time from work in recent weeks

because of the moldy walls inside the Superior Electronics building

off U.S. 301, which the district purchased almost three months ago

for $15.8 million. Between 30 and 40 people were working in the

building, and four of them reportedly complained of minor

irritations they experienced when crews began to replace pieces of

wall.

" Oneco is coming of age. The Kinder-Dome area is old, " said Forrest

Branscomb, Manatee school district's risk manager. " We'll address

this. These things take time to investigate. "

The Oneco problem stems from an aging air conditioning system.

Dehumidifiers have been placed in the building, as specialists

continue to monitor air quality and moisture levels. Cabinets and

desks have been disinfected.

" It's an older system that may be struggling to dehumidify

properly, " said Todd Henson, the district's director of maintenance.

An engineering firm is expected to make recommendations on

controlling humidity within the next two or three weeks.

In 2000, students and staff inside the Kinder-Dome complained of

stinging eyes, nausea and other symptoms. The school system replaced

the air-conditioning system, drywall, insulation, carpets and

cabinets and seal-coated the exterior walls. Indoor air sampling for

mold spores did not indicate a problem.

School district tests showed the mold at Oneco Elementary contained

no poison or other problems for people, beyond the average allergy.