Expert helps solve Henry Lord Middle School mold problem

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Expert helps solve Henry Lord Middle School mold problem

Fall River Herald News - MA*

By Will Richmond

GateHouse News Service

Posted Aug 06, 2008

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x806577684/Expert-helps-solve-Henry-

Lord-Middle-School-mold-problem

Fall River — The School Department has turned to an outside company

to help remediate an ongoing mold problem at Henry Lord Middle

School.

Superintendent A. Fischer said mold in Henry Lord has been

a reoccurring summer problem since he became superintendent in 2004

but that in the past custodians would handle the cleanup.

City health inspectors joined an environmental hygienist from JEES

Environmental Services to survey the situation Monday. After

confirming the presence of mold, they made plans to clean it with

bleaching agents, according to Mayor Correia.

Correia said the environmental hygienist will return next week to

review the problem.

" The next step will be to replace ceiling tiles with new mold

resistant tiles, and the tiles will be sprayed with a mold

inhibiting compound. The School Department is taking every step

necessary to ensure that this mold problem will be remediated before

the beginning of school and will not cause a health threat to

students and school personnel, " Correia said.

Fischer also said the mold shouldn't be considered a heath risk. He

said there are no summer programs currently taking place in the

building.

He said mold is a problem because a vapor barrier was not installed

during construction of the school, which opened for classed in May

1992.

He said the problem is worsened by the school's location near

wetlands that add to moisture into the building

" We have seen mold each year since I've been here, and we go in and

clean it out, " Fischer said.

As part of the cleanup process, Fischer said, tiles have been

removed and replaced, infected areas have been scrubbed down with

bleach and other disinfectants and the crews are monitoring for the

presence of mold on a daily basis.

Fischer said an engineering firm should also be brought in to fix

the vapor barrier problem. He said attempts to rectify the problem

in the past have been too costly.

Correia said the Henry Lord problem will also be addressed by the

School Committee.

" I understand this is not a new problem. As a result, in addition to

the remedial action currently being taken, the School Department

will be working on a resolution for the long term to present to the

School Committee for consideration, " Correia said.

E-mail Will Richmond at wrichmond@....