Hilton mold survey: no long-term effects

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http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/17/bz/bz01a.html

Posted on: Saturday, August 17, 2002

Hilton mold survey: no long-term effects

By Cho

Advertiser Staff Writer

The Hilton Hawaiian Village said yesterday that a health survey of employees

has found it is " doubtful " that mold found in its Kalia Tower caused any

long-term health or

allergic respiratory problems in workers or guests, despite some reporting

irritation

of their skin, eyes, noses and throats.

" There have been probably people with eye, nose and throat irritation

related to Kalia building exposure. But there is no evidence at this point

that there has been newly

acquired allergic respiratory disease among the employees at Hilton, " said

Dr. ph Jarvis,

an associate professor at the University of Nevada School of Medicine who

was hired by

Hilton to do the survey.

The survey of 242 Hilton employees did not include medical examinations or

clinical tests.

Ward, a spokesman for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Workers,

AFL-CIO, Local 5, which represents many of the workers involved, said the

union was critical

of the report.

Ward said Jarvis had produced no written report for outside experts to judge

his methodology; Team Clean, a subcontractor whose employees are represented

by the union,

was exposed to the mold but not included in the study; and Hilton has not

released the names of

the people who participated in the survey, so the union cannot ensure that

the survey

represents a true cross-section or workers.

The union has been in contract talks with Hilton and several other Waikiki

hotels since April. Earlier this week, its members voted to authorize a

strike, but Ward said

yesterday that the union views the mold problem as a health and safety

issue, not a bargaining issue.

Jarvis said some may not understand the limitations of such a study.

" I don't design the study myself, " Jarvis said. " In other words, I don't

hand-pick the people. They

exist in the real world and are working real jobs. I am only able to observe

them. I didn't intend

to upset anyone. Every time I do a study like this, something upsets the

local populace in a way I

had not anticipated. "

Hilton said it does not plan to conduct any more surveys or medical tests

for employees.

The 453-room Kalia Tower was closed last month after employees discovered

mold and began to report problems such as skin irritation. About 14 Hilton

employees

reported symptoms related to the mold: 10 reported eye, nose and throat

irritation; two

workers reported aggravation of an existing asthma condition; and two

reported skin rashes.

" Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat which are commonly associated with

mold exposure. This is almost a universal phenomena where there is enough

mold, " Jarvis said.

" The other problem, which is less common, but I looked hard for is allergic

respiratory disease

because it represents a more serious and potential long-term health effect. "

Among the findings Jarvis reported to Hilton:

The risk of allergic respiratory illness among Kalia Tower guests would be

small, if such risk exists at all.

There has been no health effect from mold found in the hotel's Lagoon

Tower.

Jarvis said his survey does not take the place of a clinical examination and

recommended employees see a doctor if they begin to show symptoms of

exposure to the

mold.

Schall, senior vice president and managing director of the hotel, said

the study proved that there there no long-term health effects of the mold

and no further tests or

studies on workers are planned.

" We are pleased there have been comparatively few instances of adverse

health effects and that each of those individuals has a favorable

prognosis, " Schall said. " If

people are feeling sick, they should go to their doctor. "

Tests conducted last month to measure the air quality inside the Kalia Tower

have not been released by the hotel, and according to hotel officials, will

not likely be

released any time soon.

Schall said the hotel had still not identified the source of the mold, which

is projected to cost

about $10 million to clean up, according to company filings with the

Securities and Exchange

Commission. Hilton's estimate did not include lost business while the Kalia

Tower is closed.

Schall said a number of former guests have contacted the hotel about the

mold problem and a few of them have reported health problems.

" We did not think that it was necessary at this time (to contact former

guests), " Schall said. " Some individuals have indicated some symptoms, a

very small number of

people. "

Clean up of the mold will not likely start for weeks or maybe months as

experts try to identify the source.

" In terms of the remediation effort, " Schall said, " we have retained the

best experts in this field to conduct tests to determine the cause and

extent of this situation. "

Reach Cho at 525-8088 or at fcho@...