|
In Nov., 2005, NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a branch of CDC and OSHA) issued a Health Hazard Evaluation Report for the Liberty, NY schools. All of Liberty's schools were found to have serious problems.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2005-0033-2984.pdf
NIOSH HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION REPORT
HETA #2005-0033-2984 and 2005-0234-2984
Liberty Central School District
Liberty, New York
November 2005
Jeana M. Harrison
Terri A. Pearce, Ph.D.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIOSH HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION
AT LIBERTY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
NIOSH received a confidential Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) request regarding indoor environmental
quality at the Liberty Central School District Elementary School. Upon learning about the Elementary
School request, the school administration submitted a second HHE request for the Middle and High
Schools.
What NIOSH Did
# Conducted walkthroughs at each school
# Conducted observational assessments in all
rooms at the Middle School (reported to be
the school with the most known leaks and
water incursion) and some rooms in the
other two schools
# Combined the observational assessments
with real-time monitoring of room air for
temperature, relative humidity, and carbon
dioxide concentration
# Discussed indoor air quality problems with
teachers and staff in each school
What NIOSH Found
# Visible mold on the mural in the Middle
School lobby and in the stairwell near exit 6
# Ongoing water leaks in the Middle School,
particularly around windows on the south
side of the building
# Water incursion in one boiler room in the
Elementary School
# Rusty, and possibly moldy, window blinds
in the High School library
# Some evidence of previous leaks and water
damage in each school
What Managers Can Do
# Remove or remediate the mold in the
Middle School following the Environmental
Protection Agency or New York City
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
guidelines
# Re-grade the Middle School grounds to
prevent storm water run-off from entering
the building
# Continue to assess schools for water damage
and high humidity and correct these
conditions upon discovery
# Develop procedures for discarding porous
water-damaged items and for properly
cleaning non-porous or semi-porous
materials that can be reused
# Implement the Environmental Protection
Agency’s Tools for Schools program
What Employees Can Do
# Seek physician treatment of health
symptoms related to the school environment
# Report health symptoms related to the
school environment
# Immediately report water leaks or incursions
to school facilities personnel |
