Fumes at St. sburg Junior College Sickened Professor

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http://www.sptimes.com/NorthPinellas/52298/In_suit__professor_sa.html

In suit, professor says SPJC building led to her illnesses

By ERIC STIRGUS

© St. sburg Times, published May 22, 1998

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St. sburg Junior College professor has filed a $2.3-million lawsuit

against the school, complaining that fumes from the building she worked in

made her sick and the school refused to find another classroom and office

for her.

Tranquillo, a business technologies professor at the college's

Clearwater campus, said in her lawsuit filed Wednesday in Tampa federal

court that after being exposed to cleaning materials that made her ill the

school would not let her work in a space separate from the Language Arts

building, where the incident occurred.

The lawsuit charges the school's actions violated the federal Americans with

Disabilities Act.

Tranquillo, 55, a professor at the college since 1974, said she felt burns

in her eyes and nose after being exposed to cleaning materials on the Drew

Street campus in January 1992.

Her condition worsened, causing her to suffer from nausea, fatigue, blurry

vision, slurred speech, insomnia, infections and several other ailments when

exposed to chemicals inside the Language Arts building.

Tranquillo's doctor said she was suffering from " sick building syndrome " and

by working there, she would continue to suffer.

The professor went on sick leave several times between February 1992 and

1996.

That year, Tranquillo was moved to another building but she suffered an

allergic reaction.

Tranquillo, who lives in Safety Harbor, continues to work at the school.

SPJC spokesman Mike O'Keefe refused to comment, saying the school has not

seen the lawsuit.

Tranquillo's lawyer, Tuthill, was unavailable for comment.