Stoughton study recommends decisive action to fight mold

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Stoughton study recommends decisive action to fight mold

Brockton Enterprise - MA

By Allan Stein, Enterprise correspondent

http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2006/12/16/news/news/new

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STOUGHTON — An independent air quality study recommends " decisive "

action taken to resolve mold problems at Fire Department

headquarters at 1550 Central St. before firefighters are allowed

back.

The study was done by OccuHealth Inc. in Mansfield and sponsored by

the firefighters union amid concerns of unhealthy working conditions.

" When taken in full context, the problems with the fire station are

real. But the fixes that are required are not that expensive or

difficult or complicated. They just take decisive action and

management on the part of the people who are in charge of the

building, " said environmental consultant E. Hamilton in the

study, issued Dec. 4.

An earlier study found that inadequate heating, cooling and

ventillation systems appeared to be promoting mold growth in the two-

story building, constructed in 2001.

In September, Fire Chief Jardin reassigned all first-floor

personnel at headquarters to the department substation on Freeman

Street as a health and safety precaution.

The town sponsored an air quality study conducted by Golden

Environmental Consultants in Braintree which found there to be

a " low count " of mold and fungi spores in samples collected on Oct.

11.

" Most of the detected spores are fairly common and are at most mildy

allergenic, " the study said.

The study said the department could " resume normal activity within

the building until mold abatement and air circulation work is

undertaken. "

But in light of the OHI study both town and fire officials have

postponed reoccpancy for the time being, said Denneno,

president of Local 1512 of the International Association of

Firefighters.

" It doesn't make sense to put them in an atmosphere that is going to

make them sick, " Denneno said.

He said several firefighters in past months have been out sick for

respiratory ailments including pneumonia.

" That's when the local started to get vocal, " Denneo said.

The union study contradicts a number of findings in the town study.

" GEC did not provide a description of the premises such as the

occupancy levels where the samples were collected, the position of

the openable windows, the settings of the HVAC fans, or the presence

of visible mold on surfaces " Hamilton said.

" In our opinion, the GEC data must be evaluated in context. The

first floor of the station was not occupied and the air samples

reflect a condition which is very quiet with virtually no air

movement. In other words, the fact that their air samples reflected

low spore counts would be an expected outcome and only reflects

unoccupied conditions, " Hamilton said.

The study recommends that all damaged and stained ceiling tiles and

furniture be replaced and air ducts be fixed before the next cooling

season. It also recommends that the carpets be replaced and that the

town hire an engineer to reevaluate the heating and cooling systems.

Denneo said the union is asking for rented trailer quarters to

temporarily house for firefighters outside of headquarters until the

problem is fixed.

He said in several emergency calls the station was empty.

Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz, however, said the town is " not in a

position to accept the union's report at this point in time. "

" The union wanted an opportunity to have an independent review. We

gave them that opportunity. Our results said the air quality was

fine, " Stankiewicz said.