mold found in office building where 2 employees have brain tumors--BC Canada

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PDATE Sunday, February 10, 2002> EDITION Final> SECTION News> PAGE A33> LENGTH 348 words> STOTYPE Business> LKW OFFICE BUILDINGS; SURREY; CONTAMINATION; CLOSINGS> COMPANY INSURANCE CORP OF B.C.> HEADLINE * ICBC shuts office over mould scare> BYLINE Proctor> SOURCE The Province>> * A health scare among anxious ICBC workers caused the> insurance giant to hastily close one of its Surrey offices last week> * after the discovery of mould in a set of air conditioning fans.>> A spokesman for the Insurance Corp. of B.C. said Friday that> management acted out of concern for workers -- reacting to levels of> contamination that are in fact lower inside the affected building> * than outside. But Hal Wake said no evidence exists to link the mould> to two employees suffering brain tumours.>> "We have no information to suggest that there is any link between> * the illnesses of our employees and the presence of mould," said> * Wake. "Normally, the health effects from mould are things like nasal> stuffiness, eye infections and wheezing.">> * ICBC was first alerted to possible problems with the office at> 15326-103A Ave. last November by a group of emplyees with concerns> about their health. The site is an office building that the> insurance corporation leases for members of its special> investigations unit.>> At some point in recent months, two employees contracted brain> tumours, leading staff to worry that some connection might be made> between the illnesses and the building.>> Previous inspections revealed no problems, but a report handed the> company on Thursday by Theodore Sterling Associates revealed a> problem.>> * "It found that there was a presence of mould in air conditioning> units on the roof," said Wake. "The level of the air samples> * concluded that mould spore concentrations indoors were lower than> the corresponding concentrations outdoors.">> The inspection found 82 spores per cubic metre inside as opposed to> 1,104 spores per cubic metre outside the premises. No standards> exist that would require an employer to shut down at certain levels,> * but Wake said ICBC decided not to take any chances.>> A Workers Compensation Board spokesperson said the WCB is not> * involved in the case, but that ICBC had taken all the steps it would> normally suggest. Wake said employees were sent home and told to> * report to different ICBC locations on Monday.>> The company has no plans to return to the Surrey building.>