Elmira College denies mold found in hall

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Elmira College denies mold found in hall

Former employee says she was fired because of complaint to OSHA.

October 11, 2007

Elmira Star-Gazette - Elmira,NY*

By Neumann

rneumann@...

Star-Gazette

http://www.stargazettenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20071011/NEWS01/710110340

Elmira College has closed off three small storage areas at historic

Hamilton Hall in response to complaints to a federal agency about

the presence of potentially hazardous mold.

The college took the action while denying that mold is, or has been,

present in the 80-year-old building.

" There are no existing OSHA violations in this building, period, "

said Joe Koczan, financial vice president, dean of administration

and treasurer of the college.

The closed-off areas are a former restroom in the basement and

storage closets on the first and second floors.

The complaints were filed with the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration by Barbara Baker of Elmira, who was a housekeeper in

the building.

Baker, who said she is taking a night course at the college in

business law, said she was fired from her job on Tuesday. She

claimed the firing was an act of " harassment " related to her

complaints.

, a spokesman for the college, said it would

be " inappropriate " for him to discuss Baker's employment status. He

did confirm that she is enrolled as a student.

Baker first complained to OSHA on Sept. 5. In a phone call, she told

the agency that mold was growing in the abandoned restroom in the

basement, which was being used for storage.

, area director for OSHA in Syracuse, notified

Elmira College of the complaint the same day by fax to Don Brimmer,

manager of buildings and grounds. That's common practice with what

is considered a " non formal " complaint, said Ron , the

agency's assistant area director.

While acknowledging that OSHA hadn't determined the validity of the

complaint, and that it did not intend to inspect the site,

directed Brimmer to investigate and " make any necessary corrections

or modifications. "

Brimmer replied that the basement room had been " cleaned out and

disinfected " and then locked.

Brimmer was not available to answer questions about the matter.

Baker said she first complained to the agency after telling her

supervisors of her concerns and feeling that she was being ignored.

On Oct. 3, she filed another complaint, about the first- and second-

floor storage closets. said OSHA then notified the college

as it did before.

Koczan said the college reported back to the agency that there was a

leak from around a window in the second-floor storage area,

resulting from a recent heavy rainstorm, and that the damage was

being repaired.

Baker, 39, said she has studied up on mold recently and thinks the

situation at Hamilton poses a health hazard to those using those

areas.

" As soon as you open that door up, it hits your chest, your eyes

hurt, your nose runs and then you get a headache that lasts a half-

hour to an hour, " she said of the basement room. " We would have to

go through this every day. "

pointed out that Hamilton Hall is listed in the National

Register of Historic Places and is a showcase of the campus.

" This is one of our historic buildings, " he said. " We take care of

it. "

Hamilton Hall, completed in 1925, was the college library until the

Gannett-Tripp Library was completed in 1969, according to the

college Web site, www.elmira.edu.

It now houses offices including admissions, financial aid, alumni

relations, development and parent relations, according to the Web

site. The Great Hall, on the main floor, is used for concerts,

meetings and exhibits, the Web site said.