Inspectors Find Legionnaires' Bacteria at Capitol

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/w/AP-Capitol-Safety.html

April 28, 1999

Inspectors Find Bacteria at Capitol

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Despite admonitions last fall to intensely monitor the

problem, safety inspectors again found ``a potentially hazardous'' level of

Legionnaires' bacteria in the congressional facility that supplies heating

and cooling to the Capitol.

A formal citation demanded tests at least monthly.

The facility, called the Capitol Power Plant, was cited by Congress' own

independent inspectors -- who told the Architect of the Capitol seven months

ago to monitor the situation after high concentrations of the bacteria were

found in a separate part of the plant, which also services congressional

office buildings.

The new concentrations were found in a cooling tower that was found by

inspectors last fall to be ``in very poor condition'' and ``should be

replaced as soon as possible.'' In the meantime, ``intensive maintenance is

needed,'' an inspection report said.

The citation, issued last week, was obtained Tuesday by The Associated

Press.

The AP also obtained a separate citation to the architect's office last

week, issued for failure to provide railings on steep ramps on the Capitol

roof. The citation said the condition presented a serious danger for police

officers who raise and lower the flag every day and maintenance workers who

use rooftop mechanical shops.

The 2,000-employee Architect's office was told to install the safety

railings in 60 days. A previous citation also was issued for this problem.

AP could not immediately reach an architect official for comment.

The inspectors said the system used in the heating-cooling facility would

not send the deadly bacteria through the vents to congressional offices.

However, the concentrations were at ``a potentially hazardous'' level for

workers at the plant, the citation said.

The safety of the Capitol has been a growing concern. AP has reported

previously that the Office of Compliance found health and safety conditions

so bad in Congress that a ``potential catastrophe'' loomed. A month later,

the House inspector general said the Capitol complex was a firetrap.

The inspectors found that Architect workers risked blood-transmitted

diseases by digging through contaminated trash without protective clothing

and recalcitrant officials had to be issued citations to move flammable

liquids stored in dangerous places.

Last month, inspectors found 14 additional health and safety violations at

the power plant unrelated to the Legionnaires' bacteria.

In a recent interview, Architect of the Capitol Alan Hantman dismissed the

``firetrap'' description as ``journalistic hyperbole'' and said major work

is underway to test the fire system and replace faulty equipment. And

Architect officials have said they are making ``great strides'' in trying to

change a culture of neglect on health and safety issues.

Since the AP stories ran, the American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees, which represents many of the Architect's employees,

sent a letter to Congress demanding hearings on Congress' workplace safety

problems. The letter was sent to Rep. , R-Calif., chairman of

the Committee on House Administration.

The union's international president, Gerald McEntee, said hearings should

explore instances in which workers were forced ``to crawl through garbage''

without protective gear, use vacuum cleaners ``with faulty, exposed wires,''

and the absence of safety instruction signs, ``resulting in employee

exposure to blood or other potential infectious materials.''

Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company