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The complaints were filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by Barbara Baker of Elmira, who was a housekeeper in the building.
Baker, who said she is taking a night course at the college in business law, said she was fired from her job on Tuesday. She claimed the firing was an act of "harassment" related to her complaints."...
Elmira College denies mold found in hall
Former employee says she was fired because of complaint to OSHA.
http://forums.stargazette.com/viewtopic.php?t=19835
October 11, 2007
By Roger Neumann
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Star-Gazette
ROGER NEUMANN/Star-Gazette
Barbara Baker of Elmira, a former housekeeper at Elmira College www.elmira.edu, filed complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over possible mold located in small storage areas in Hamilton Hall.
Mold's dangers
Molds can cause allergic reactions, fungal infections and other health problems. Most workers will have no reaction when exposed to molds. Some workers have underlying health conditions that make them more sensitive to mold exposure.
Health effects can include:
•Allergic rhinitis or sinusitis: Similar to hay fever or the common cold, but over an extended period of time. Symptoms include a runny nose, nasal or sinus congestion, irritated or red eyes, irritated or scratchy throat, and cough. Reactions occur quickly after exposure to molds.
•Dermatitis: Symptoms include red, itchy skin and/or rash.
•Asthma: Symptoms include acute attacks of coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Reactions usually occur within minutes. May repeat six to 10 hours later.
•Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Symptoms include tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, cough, fever and muscle aches. Reactions occur six to eight hours after exposure.
•Other: Reported symptoms include fatigue, headache, fever, muscle ache, difficulty concentrating and mood changes. The cause of these symptoms is not completely understood.
Source: USA Today research.
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Elmira College has closed off three small storage areas at historic Hamilton Hall in response to complaints to a federal agency about the presence of potentially hazardous mold.
The college took the action while denying that mold is, or has been, present in the 80-year-old building.
"There are no existing OSHA violations in this building, period," said Joe Koczan, financial vice president, dean of administration and treasurer of the college.
The closed-off areas are a former restroom in the basement and storage closets on the first and second floors.
The complaints were filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by Barbara Baker of Elmira, who was a housekeeper in the building.
Baker, who said she is taking a night course at the college in business law, said she was fired from her job on Tuesday. She claimed the firing was an act of "harassment" related to her complaints.
Michael Rogers, a spokesman for the college, said it would be "inappropriate" for him to discuss Baker's employment status. He did confirm that she is enrolled as a student.
Baker first complained to OSHA on Sept. 5. In a phone call, she told the agency that mold was growing in the abandoned restroom in the basement, which was being used for storage.
Christopher Adams, area director for OSHA in Syracuse, notified Elmira College of the complaint the same day by fax to Don Brimmer, manager of buildings and grounds. That's common practice with what is considered a "non formal" complaint, said Ron Williams, the agency's assistant area director.
While acknowledging that OSHA hadn't determined the validity of the complaint, and that it did not intend to inspect the site, Adams directed Brimmer to investigate and "make any necessary corrections or modifications."
Brimmer replied that the basement room had been "cleaned out and disinfected" and then locked.
Brimmer was not available to answer questions about the matter.
Baker said she first complained to the agency after telling her supervisors of her concerns and feeling that she was being ignored.
On Oct. 3, she filed another complaint, about the first- and second-floor storage closets. Williams said OSHA then notified the college as it did before.
Koczan said the college reported back to the agency that there was a leak from around a window in the second-floor storage area, resulting from a recent heavy rainstorm, and that the damage was being repaired.
Baker, 39, said she has studied up on mold recently and thinks the situation at Hamilton poses a health hazard to those using those areas.
"As soon as you open that door up, it hits your chest, your eyes hurt, your nose runs and then you get a headache that lasts a half-hour to an hour," she said of the basement room. "We would have to go through this every day."
Rogers pointed out that Hamilton Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a showcase of the campus.
"This is one of our historic buildings," he said. "We take care of it."
Hamilton Hall, completed in 1925, was the college library until the Gannett-Tripp Library was completed in 1969, according to the college Web site, www.elmira.edu.
It now houses offices including admissions, financial aid, alumni relations, development and parent relations, according to the Web site. The Great Hall, on the main floor, is used for concerts, meetings and exhibits, the Web site said.
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:12 am Post subject: Elmira College denies mold found in hall Former employee say
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Reader comments and feedback for the article titled: Elmira College denies mold found in hall Former employee says she was fired because of complaint to OSHA.
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unhappysociety
Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 807
Location: All over USA
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:15 am Post subject:
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If Barbara Baker did not like the mold, why didn't she work with the school to fix it? Seems a little rash to go to the government about a closet. Sounds like she may be a trouble maker... but what do I know?
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Want to contact your city? Go to www.keepszone.com and type "elmira" in the VisitorZone (lower right). Also, please contact me with things I have left off.
Other cool Elmira sites:
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sailon2
Joined: 11 Oct 2007
Posts: 1
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:28 am Post subject: EC mold
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If you ever worked for EC you would know that the administration treats it's employees like crap and most wouldn't dare complain about anything for fear of losing their jobs.
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myrmica
Joined: 24 May 2007
Posts: 33
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:08 am Post subject:
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Not to be mean or anything, but if you are a janitor, and you see mold....
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hellofromcalifornia
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 2
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:19 am Post subject:
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Sounds like what happened at the Historical Society. Big room full of mold, bunch of sick employees, some permanently now.
Oh wait, this didn't happen. I'm getting the "official story" mixed up with the truth again.
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unhappysociety
Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 807
Location: All over USA
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:56 am Post subject:
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If they treat their employees like crap, why do so many of them stay for decades? Smart employees know that if you deliver results the management will love you. If you do not deliver results, management will hate you.
_________________
Want to contact your city? Go to www.keepszone.com and type "elmira" in the VisitorZone (lower right). Also, please contact me with things I have left off.
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