Report: Mold could grow at South Street

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Report: Mold could grow at South Street

Sentinel & Enterprise,Fitchburg, MA*

By

bbutler@...

08/07/2008

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_10125095?source=rss

FITCHBURG -- A report by state health officials shows multiple areas

within South Street Elementary School where mold could grow and

other factors that could contribute to unhealthy air quality.

The report outlines more than three dozen recommendations to repair

water-damaged portions of the building and prevent the build-up of

mold, as well as other pollutants and irritants.

Suzanne K. Condon, head of the state Health Department's Bureau of

Environmental Health, said the major problems in the building are

moisture related.

" There are a variety of different conditions that are providing for

mold and moisture, " Condon said.

Superintendent Andre Ravenelle said there were no surprises in the

report.

" I think the report is a good checklist of things we've done and

things we can do, " Ravenelle said. " I found nothing in the report

that was unexpected. "

Ravenelle said some of the recommendations have already begun to be

implemented.

Specifically, he said work in the east building will replace the

carpet with tile in the next week or so.

Condon said state health officials visit many schools and she said

South Street's condition is consistent with other old buildings that

have had deferred maintenance.

" The biggest thing in general from this report is to really think

hard about how conditions got to this point and how to prevent it

from happening in the future, " Condon said. " Pay attention to the

smaller problems. If you have a roof leak, don't just put a bucket

under it, or else it's going to get worse. "

Condon said the presence of moisture can, and will, lead to mold

build-up if it is not treated properly, which can cause health

concerns for anyone in the building, including dry eyes, throat and

nose and stomach pains.

Teachers, parents and administrators at South Street have shown

concerns about indoor air quality issues for years, reports obtained

by the Sentinel & Enterprise show.

The district has hired multiple air quality tests on the building --

city, private and even Fitchburg State College health inspectors

toured the building multiple times during this spring. No formal

recommendations or major problems arose from those tests.

The state Department of Public Health assisted school officials in

inspecting the complex twice at the beginning of the summer, and on

July 30 released the 85-page report.

Condon said state officials did not specifically test for presence

of mold, instead they searched for areas that could support mold and

mildew.

" They found conditions that were certainly conducive to mold

growth, " Condon said.

Condon said just because officials didn't find mold, that doesn't

mean it's not a problem.

" We were testing for indicators of mold, " Condon said. " The point is

there are moisture problems and water intrusions. There's no point

in testing for something that you know will be there or could be

there. The point is to determine how to bring the greatest relief. "

Ravenelle said the School Committee's Health and Safety Task Force

will be digesting the report. He also said state health officials

will give a detailed presentation of the report during the School

Committee's Sept.15 meeting.

Mayor Wong said she hasn't had a chance to read the report so

she couldn't comment on it, but she said the recommended changes

will not happen overnight.

" I see this as a good thing that we have the appropriate experts

inspecting the facility, " Wong said.

She said say the city is committed toward working with the schools

to prioritize and find funding sources for the changes.

The state's report goes into extensive detail about each of the four

buildings that make up the South Street complex -- which houses an

elementary school and the central administration offices.

It recommends 33 short-term actions and six long-term actions to

address the problems.

Condon said state officials inspected the building in June and have

not returned since, so she cannot say if the school has taken

appropriate remedial steps thus far.

None of the recommendations had time frames or requirements that the

work be done.

The report outlines, in detail, moisture concerns throughout the

building, including water-damaged ceilings, walls and floors.

It notes a pump in the west building's nurses room, which could be a

source of mold.

Another area of concern was the copier room in the north building,

which is a former kitchen. Water damage was observed on the ceiling,

wall and skylight of the room.

There are drains on the floor that are designed to prevent sewer

system gases and odors from getting into the room.

" These drains must have water poured into the traps at least twice a

week to maintain the integrity of the seal. Without water, the drain

opens the room to the sewer system, " the report states.

It was unclear whether the school had been doing the required

maintenance of the drains.

It says the problem can be further complicated when a fan is turned

on in the room, depressurizing it, drawing air, gas and odors from

the sewer system into the room.

" The effect of this phenomenon can be increased if heavy rains cause

an air backup in the sewer system, " the report notes.

Also, the north building had multiple water damaged ceiling tiles,

which are a possible source of mold.

Crawl spaces were also noted as a problem throughout the complex.

While intended to provide easier access to the piping systems, state

inspectors found spaces and holes in the walls and floors around the

pipes.

" These breaches can serve as pathways to draw air, odors and

particulates from the crawlspaces into classrooms, particularly

through poor filter(s). Crawl spaces frequently are wet and contain

mold, spores and associated odors, " the report states.

Water damaged sinks inside the classrooms were observed, which the

report notes is a potential source of mold.

Problems with the east building's roof drainage system were noted

could lead to mold.

One of the biggest problems throughout the schools were the

ventilator systems, which draw air from outdoors through intake

systems located on the exterior walls of the school.

Inspectors found the intakes to be, in many cases, covered by trees,

shrubbery and plants, which block fresh air from going into the

school.

Furthermore, inside the buildings, inspectors noted that in one

building none of the ventilators were activated. In other rooms,

clutter on top of the ventilators prevented air from being

circulated within the room.

" Without sufficient exhaust ventilation, environmental pollutants

can build up, leading to indoor air quality/comfort complaints, " the

report states.

Condon said the problem is common throughout the state. She said the

ventilation system, called univents, looks like a shelf, so teachers

treat it that way and store things on them.

" People put things on the vents, then complain there's no fresh

air, " Condon said. " Part of this is really educating people who live

in the building of the steps they can take. "

In the north building, the report states that the univents appear to

have been installed in the 1950s by a company that no longer exists,

rendering maintenance " a challenge, " the report states.

The vents also have a higher-than-recommended powered motor, which

could contribute to noise complaints by teachers.

Other things found within the building included plants, which are

possible breeding grounds for mold.

Inspectors also found empty, old food containers in several

classrooms. That, the report notes, could attract pests, which leave

waste that can be an irritant.

Rodents were found in some of the classrooms stored in cages. Debris

from inside the cage was found on the table and in the carpet, which

can be an allergen. The report recommends those areas be cleaned

thoroughly and regularly.

Also, during the tour, birds were found to be inhabiting a storage

room. Waste from those animals is noted as a possible cause of

respiratory problems.

The report states that the temperature and humidity readings were

not at the levels the state recommends as comfortable.

Air fresheners and deodorizing materials were observed, which can be

irritating to the eyes, nose and throats of sensitive individuals.

" Furthermore, deodorizing agents do not remove materials causing

odors, but rather mask odors that may be present in the area, " the

report states.

It states that not all people would be affected by these issues, but

those particularly susceptible to allergens are people with asthma.

In some areas of the complex, cars are parking close to classroom

windows and univent systems, allowing exhaust to enter the building.

The report also noted cleaning products and dry erase materials were

observed in classrooms, which if stored improperly, can be irritants

that lead to negative indoor air quality.

The report recommends that tennis balls that have been placed on the

bottoms of chairs to act as gliders should be removed because some

individuals can be allergic to the latex interior of the balls.

" Tennis balls are made of a number of materials that are a source of

respiratory irritants, " the report states.

In response, the report notes more than three dozen recommended

changes.

Recommendations include:

-Remove carpets with notice taken to area that may have asbestos

-Replace water damaged ceilings

-Seal all floors and drains in the copier room

-Remove all blockages of the ventilators and determine if they are

operational.

-Consult a ventilation engineer to determine best method for

increasing air supply in classrooms.

-Remove all plants in contact with the foundation or walls of the

complex.

-Asses the amount of materials stored in classrooms to allow for

easier cleaning.

Ravenelle said he's already begun working with building maintenance

supervisor Bill Barletta to prioritize future improvement projects.

Ravenelle said some short term projects can be done this summer.

Other long term projects may require additional money through a

possible bond bill to pay for them, Ravenelle said.

Ravenelle said parents of students who attend South Street should

not be concerned by the report.

" We will be in even better shape this fall than we were in June, "

Ravenelle said. " We're at least addressing the major areas of

concern. "