Toxic Mold Forces State Workers Out of Their Offices in Putnam County

September 20, 2002

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Toxic Mold Forces State Workers Out of Their Offices

Reporter: Penry

They are in the business of taking care of the public's health, but now

health concerns have closed down their own workplace. The contaminated

building is in Putnam County, an hour east of Nashville.

Humor is a means of survival for employees of the Upper Cumberland Regional

Health office these days. " A refugee camp! That's us. "

Seven weeks ago, they were forced out of their own office building, their

own cubicles. " I never thought that I would miss working in one, but I do.

I really do. "

The building, leased from Tennessee Tech, is contaminated with Stachybotrys,

more commonly known as " black mold " or " deadly mold. "

" I looked it up on the internet today to try to find a little bit more about

it, and it's scary. Really is, it's scary, " said displaced employee Carol

Vinson.

Now their work space is wherever they can find it, operating at the end of

extension cords, off of card-table desks, and using cardboard box filing

systems.

" This is a nightmare to me. It is a nightmare. "

" We're trying to do our jobs, but no one can do it efficiently. "

No one knows how long the building has had mold in it. The problem was

discovered after a partial shutdown when the air conditioning system went

out almost two months ago.

" The building has had some problems in the past with flooding, drainage

problems, seepage coming up through the floor tiles, and then some leakage

in the ceiling, " said Bumbalough.

This latest, more harmful problem is the reason the state health officials

ordered the building evacuated, and the makeshift office was opened until

they can decide whether to move on to something new or clean up the old.

" But you not only have to clean it up, you have to discover and correct

what's causing the problem in the first place, so it's not enough just to

clean it up, " said Diane Denton, Tennessee Department of Health.

Employees just hope something is done soon. They like their jobs and want to

be able to feel like they're doing them well. The regional office oversees

the health departments in 14 counties. Their 80 employees are now scattered

throughout ten of those counties. The regional clinics, typically run at the

main office, are now being held in two separate locations.

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