|
|
| Volusia Jail Workers: Mold Makes Us Sick |
| By Orlando Sentinel |
| Published: 06/19/2003 |
|
Toxic molds at the Volusia County, Fla., Branch Jail are making workers sick, a lawyer representing about 100 employees said. The culprit, DeLand attorney Mark Zimmerman said, is mold lurking inside the jail at levels that Zimmerman called 'alarming.' 'The branch jail has been plagued [with moisture problems] since it was built over 15 years ago,' Zimmerman said. 'It shouldn't be any surprise that mold growth is rampant.' Zimmerman said his clients, about one-third of the jail's more than 300 employees, have complained about a wide array of illnesses, including respiratory problems and skin rashes. As of last week, 46 employees had filed workers' compensation complaints. County officials said they have found no evidence that the building is making employees sick. But John Hauser, Zimmerman's first client, said he became ill about a year after he started working at the jail in 1990. He said the symptoms grew increasingly worse until last year, when the 38-year-old husband and father had to go on leave. 'Some days . . . I do enough to feed myself and keep going,' Hauser said. 'I am just tired, fatigued all the time.' Zimmerman hired Richard Lipsey, a Jacksonville toxicologist, to test for mold inside the jail May 15. According to a brief report, Lipsey said he found 'most of the toxic mold groups.' Lipsey said exposure to molds can cause ear, nose and throat irritation, while prolonged exposure can lead to more severe health problems, including chronic bronchitis, asthma and some forms of cancer. Dave Byron, a Volusia County spokesman, said that county officials have tested for mold but found no problems. Preliminary results from subsequent tests by an Orlando company also revealed no toxic molds, but final results have not been returned. Results from a third round of tests are expected in about 45 days. The county ordered the mold tests to ensure that jail employees are working in as safe a place as possible, Corrections Director Kevin Hickey said. And until he is shown otherwise, he is confident that the jail is clean. 'I'm not going to work in a sick building,' Hickey said. 'We feel very confident that our building is clean.' |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think