Health tests for MSK staff

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Health tests for MSK staff

(Printed April 16, 2010)

By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

http://blog.kennebunkpost.com/2010/04/16/health-tests-for-msk-staff-printed-apri\

l-16-2010.aspx

Staff members at Middle School of the Kennebunks will be tested for mold-related

illnesses in response to numerous health complaints at the school.

Superintendent Dolloff last week said the National Institute of

Occupational Health and Safety will return to the district May 10 to 14 to

conduct three health tests on employees.

The federal agency has been working with the school to find out what, or if,

there are any mold problems inside the middle school walls because of the high

number of health complaints.

NIOSH came to the school in February to run tests on the health of the employees

but Dolloff said more tests are needed.

The health tests will measure lung capacity, a vision test and reactions to

histamines that initiate allergic reactions. Another round of health tests may

be conducted in August after staff members return from summer vacation and time

away from the building.

Dolloff said the vision test is needed because some teachers have complained of

foggy vision.

The institute also will test staff at another building to use their results as a

control against Middle School of the Kennebunks' results, Dolloff said.

In a letter sent to parents March 31, Dolloff said he asked Harriman Architects

and Engineers to closely inspect the building for leaks and ways to fix the

problem. The firm currently is evaluating all buildings in the district.

In January, Building Science and Design in on tested six classrooms

in the building for air quality. Those results showed room 504 had a slightly

higher than average moisture rating. More testing will be conducted in that

room.

The RSU 21 administration has been working with to test for mold, radon,

mites and allergens in the building since staff first questioned its air quality

in 2005.

Construction teams have replaced leaky windows, patched an improperly installed

roof and torn up carpeting in areas where high moisture levels were found.

Last summer the district spent $35,000 to replace improperly installed exterior

flashing that diverted water into instead of way from the building. Ventilation

units also were replaced for $62,000 to ensure no moisture or construction dust

blows through the system.

Mold remediation was needed in two classrooms at a cost of $6,800 and an

extension of sewer and boiler chimneys on the roof will cost $8,000.

Other projects include further ventilation system improvements that will cost

$5,445 and carpet removal and tile replacement in four classrooms estimated at

$16,000. The building's roof also started leaking after heavy rains in March.

Last summer, Dolloff said the district spent $400,000 to fix some of the

building's water leakage problems.

The $11.24 million school was designed by SMRT Architecture Engineering in

Portland and built by Payton Construction Co. of Boston.

Payton Construction Co. filed for bankruptcy in 2007 after the company suffered

$15 million in losses.

Dolloff said the district didn't have any recourse with the construction company

that built Middle School of the Kennebunks in 2002 because the company went

bankrupt.

He said some issues with the building could be related to design, not

construction, but the cost of pursuing legal action would be more than fixing

the problems.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.