New to the group - my story in brief

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Approx. 3 years ago I returned to work from LTD and began having difficulties

right away. I work in a distribution centre as an inventory clerk for a large

grocery chain. I ended up being diagnosed with MCS and was given a job working

in the " grocery " side of our building in the middle of the warehouse. There are

approx. 30 dock doors for loading/unloading trucks which afforded me a constant

supply of fresh air. Other than some issues with headaches and short-term

memory issues (I have to write everything down so I don't forget) I was able to

function at work.

Now we have closed the " grocery " section of the building and I have been

provided with a workstation in the clerical office and assigned to the " produce "

department. I am unable to work in FMD (Freezer, Meat & Dairy) sections of the

building since I do not tolerate the cold temperatures. Within 2-3 weeks of

working in the office I began to get my old symptoms back.....headaches, stuffy

nose, runny nose, watery eyes, problems reading my computer screen,

lightheadedness, forgetfullness etc. I have had allergy testing and am allergic

to dust, mold and orchard grass. After all this time suffering I have finally

realised what is bothering me...MOLD. We have a wet chamber in the produce

department where we store " ice-top " products such as brocolli and fresh carrots.

These items are received with ice on them to preserve freshness and kept in a

chamber where water is sprayed on them. Every so often the walls are cleaned

with power washers to remove the mold. I have stopped going into this chamber

but my symptoms are still getting worse. Each day I go to work and I am

concerned for my safety since there is alot of forklift traffic in the

warehouse. I have always noticed the black soot like appearance of the ceiling

vents in the office areas of the building and I am now wondering if the mold is

right in the HVAC system.

I saw my doctor last week and told him I was getting sick at work again and I am

convinced that this is a very unsuitable environment for me to work in. Once I

get sick I find my sense of smell is heightened and the smell of perfumes,

cigarettes and antibacterial cloths that everyone wipes down their computer

equipment with exacerbate my condition. Even the light hurts my eyes.

My concern now is the right way to go about things. Last time I was sick my

disability plan said it was a WSIB issue and refused to cover me for months.

WSIB refused my claim and in the end the insurance company did cover me but it

was a very stressful experience. I am planning to see my doctor as soon as

possible to inform him I am getting sick again. My supervisor is aware that I

don't feel well. Should I be telling her that I think it is mold? Would anyone

know if this would be considered a claim for short-term disability or a WSIB

issue?

Any input or suggestions would be appreciated.

Wetchamber.