Darthmouth Hitchcock Medical Center - Mold Closes Hospital Reception Area

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http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=826484 & amp;nav=4QcS9h89

Mold Closes Dartmouth Hospital Reception Area

Lebanon, NH - June 19, 2002

The reception area was closed off Tuesday night. It's on the fifth floor ..

the entrance to obstetrics, gynecology and fertility department. Worker

complaints started coming in March. This month, three employees left work.

Deborah Kimbell of Darthmouth Hitchcock Medical Center told Channel 3:

" There are three employees who work in that area who are sick ..too sick to

come to work at this point. There are 107 employees who work in that area

altogether and only three who are reporting they are sick. But there are

others who have reported some systems that may or may not connected to

mold. "

DHMC believes the mold got in the walls and carpet after water dripped into

the area because of a leak in the roof. Dartmouth hired one firm to test the

area--a second is on its way to do more testing. An independent

investigation is also underway. Workers took their complaints to OSHA--the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They complained the mold was

causing headaches, migraines, sinus infections, exhaustion and dizziness.

It's unclear when the reception area will reopen. But at best it could be

two to three weeks before officials nail down what's making the employees

sick.

Anson Tebbetts - Channel 3 News