New reports of mold spreading among workers at New Hanover County's administrative annex building

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New reports of mold spreading among workers at annex building

By Trista Talton

Staff Writer

March 22, 2002

Air quality tests will be conducted in New Hanover County's administrative

annex Monday, a little more than two weeks after some courthouse employees

sued the county, alleging that indoor mold was causing health problems.

The state Occupational Safety and Health Division recently received an

anonymous complaint about the annex at Fifth Avenue and Chestnut Street.

The complaint says some employees are experiencing adverse health effects,

including eye irritation, respiratory distress, asthmatic symptoms and

headaches.

The complaints are similar to those made by courthouse employees. The county

hired environmental testers, who determined the air in the courthouse is no

moldier than the air outside the building. Seven women who regularly work in

the courthouse hired lawyer Shipman to sue the county, seeking

thousands of dollars in compensation.

Sue , who works on the second floor of the administrative annex, said

problems there have persisted since the mid-1990s.

" This has been an ongoing problem for years. This is not because of the

problems at the courthouse, " she said.

She said the county has gone in from time to time to try to correct some

problems, but she thinks the building needs a new ventilation system.

Complaints to county leaders have gone unanswered, she said.

" We just get ignored, " Ms. said, adding that the attention given to

the courthouse has " hurt our feelings. "

She said mold was growing on ceiling tiles, which have been replaced.

Several employees on all three of the building's floors have experienced bad

headaches and rashes, she said.

" We've certainly got a lot of people with identical symptoms, Ms.

said.

The latest complaint states the suspected culprit behind the health problems

is mold and mildew in the ventilation system, according to a letter from the

state to the county.

" When employees are away from the work site the symptoms fade and then recur

on return to the work site, " the letter stated.

The state requires that a county handle an anonymous complaint by

investigating the building and making any necessary corrections.

County Manager O'Neal said the county has hired a company to conduct

an air quality test on Monday. This is not the first time an employee in the

building has made a complaint of this nature.

" There have been issues with that building from time to time, " Mr. O'Neal

said. " We've been in there in the very recent past. "

Trista Talton: 343-2070

trista.talton@...