Guest guest Posted June 24, 2000 Report Share Posted June 24, 2000 In a message dated 06/24/2000 5:13:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, bmalone@... writes: << I was pretty nieve when this whole thing started but I've learned a lot since then. I now have a lawyer, I get everything that is told to me in writing and I no longer believe that everyone is honest. >> Well, we all have to go to the school of 'hard knocks,' ! I'm glad you're finally getting something resolved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2000 Report Share Posted June 25, 2000 Hi Pat, Thanks for the quick response. I'm starting to feel better about my situation after reading some of the problems everyone else is having. In my case I have three doctor statements saying my illness was causes from my work environment. I didn't even have to go before a judge to get my WC claim approved. WC came right to the building where I worked and conducted their own inspection and spoke to everyone in the building. My claim was approved immediately after that. At this point air quality test have been taken by WC, and the Federal Government hired a firm to do test. The fungi levels were 50 times greater than the allowable limit. ( I should have explained that I am the only county employee in the building, there is one state employee and everyone else is federal employees--also the building is owned by a third party and the federal government pays rent) Pressure was put on the federal government to get the landlord to clean up the building. (only after the local news papers and TV stations did a story on me) Finally he has done a few things. Like painting over the mold that was growing on the office walls and cleaning the carpet in only 2/3's of the building. ( I have been told that furniture was not moved for the cleaning) But nothing has been done about the ventilation, the wetness problem under the building nor has any of the contaminated wood been removed from the crawl space. The federal government did another test after these minimal tasks had been completed and the results were astounding! The test showed the building is well under the allowable limit for fungi and bacteria. Down from 350,00 cfu to 10 in just 4 weeks!!! I have also been informed by my one loyal friend in the building that the Federal Gov State Office sent someone down a few weeks ago to talk to everyone in my office and told them that there will be no more letters written about the building or no more news stories. Since then if I see anyone in town from the building they avoid me like I have the plague!!! I was pretty nieve when this whole thing started but I've learned a lot since then. I now have a lawyer, I get everything that is told to me in writing and I no longer believe that everyone is honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2000 Report Share Posted June 27, 2000 : I was interested to read about the " allowable limits " for pathogenic bacteria and mold in the workplace. Can you give me a citation from OSHA or ACGIH or EPA? It will help me in the 24 sick building cases I am working on currently as an expert witness. I have done environmental sampling in 100's of homes and offices over the last 28 years and found several million CFU's of various bacteria and mold, ie (Benson Case) where the defense expert called safe. We quote " guidelines " in the courtroom, ie 300 CFU's for the more pathogenic microorganisms....less for Aspergillus niger, Legionella bacteria, etc., but I am not aware of any government standards. Please have your attorney contact me. I would like to help you. DR. RICHARD L. LIPSEY TOXICOLOGIST UNIV OF NORTH FLORIDA and FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF LAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2000 Report Share Posted June 27, 2000 Thanks. That was very useful information. Good Luck! Dr. R. Lipsey, Toxicologist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2000 Report Share Posted June 27, 2000 ----- Original Message ----- From: <RLLIPSEY87@...> <egroups> Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 9:55 AM Subject: Re: [] I've Moved On > : > I was interested to read about the " allowable limits " for pathogenic > bacteria and mold in the workplace. Can you give me a citation from OSHA or > ACGIH or EPA? It will help me in the 24 sick building cases I am working on > currently as an expert witness. I have done environmental sampling in 100's > of homes and offices over the last 28 years and found several million CFU's > of various bacteria and mold, ie (Benson Case) where the defense expert > called safe. We quote " guidelines " in the courtroom, ie 300 CFU's for the > more pathogenic microorganisms....less for Aspergillus niger, Legionella > bacteria, etc., but I am not aware of any government standards. > Please have your attorney contact me. I would like to help you. > > DR. RICHARD L. LIPSEY > TOXICOLOGIST > UNIV OF NORTH FLORIDA and > FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF LAW > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Free, Unlimited Calls Anywhere! > Conference in the whole family on the same call. > Let the fights begin! Visit Firetalk.com - Click below. > 1/5476/3/_/504879/_/962118982/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Dr. Lipsey, Thank you for your interest in my situation. I hope you read my post responding to Temes concerning the statement about " allowable limits " . At that time I was using the wording that was passed on to me from the office staff after they saw the last air quality report. I have since obtained a copy of the report and the wording is somewhat different. Once again I apologize to everyone for using the wrong wording and creating confusion. The report states that they have used the guideline that was provided to them by Aerotech Laboratories, a national leader in indoor air quality research. The Summary of Air Sample Analysis for Fungi & Bacteria table that is included in the report has at the bottom of it the following: Guidelines for Acceptable Air Quality (provided by Aerotech Laboratories, Inc.): Air Samples for Fungi: 1/3 - 1/2 of the outdoor concentration. Bacteria: Upper acceptable level - 1000cfu/m3 Indoor/Outdoor ratio of total bacterial and fungi: Less than 2.0 (<2510(cfu/m3) In the new report the levels were lower than the acceptable level therefore the staff told me it was within the allowable limit. The Dust Sample Analysis for Fungi & Bacteria table has the following below it: General Suggested Guidelines for Dry Bulk Samples:** Less than 5,000 cfu/gm.-Normal Range 5,000-10,000 cfu/gm.-Elevated Levels Greater than 10,000 cfu/gm.-Potential for significant contribution to airborne levels. **Chin Yang, PhD, Problem Solving and Interpreting. Presented at the Midatlantic Environmental Hygiene Resource Center Conference, May 4-5, 1995, Chicago, IL with the support of USEPA Region V. Again the new report came back well below the normal range. As you can see the wording " Acceptable Level and Normal Range " was represented to me to mean allowable limits so I was approached about returning to the building. I am a layperson just trying to understand why I have developed all the health problems that I now have. And I am dealing with those people who do not want to admit that they may be at fault. My WC claim was approved and that makes certain people just furious. Just in case it would be helpful to you I am listing the bacteria and fungi that was found in the building: Bacteria: Fungi: Bacillus sp Epicoccum nigrum Staphylococcus sp Alternania sp Corynebacterium sp Aspergillus versicolor Enterobacter cancerogenus Cladosporium sp Pantoea agglomerans Rhizopus sp Micrococcus sp Penicillium Bipolaris Trichoderma sp Basidiomycetes sp Mucor sp Aspergillus niger Penicillium sp Cryptococcus luteolus Cryptococcus albidus I hope I have answered your questions. If not let me know. I know their are lots of factors to consider when interperting reports such as this. At this point in time my attorney and I have not taken any action against the owner of the building due to the fact that I am on workers comp and receiving medical treatment. But we are aware of the 2 year limitation on making claim against the owners insurance carrier. I thank you for your offer to help my attorney and I will remember it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2000 Report Share Posted June 28, 2000 ----- Original Message ----- From: <RLLIPSEY87@...> <egroups> Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 3:16 PM Subject: Re: [] I've Moved On > > Thanks. That was very useful information. Good Luck! > > Dr. R. Lipsey, Toxicologist > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Was the salesman clueless? Productopia has the answers. > 1/4633/3/_/504879/_/962135263/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Dr. Lipsey, Today I received a copy of a letter that was sent to the landlord of the building I worked in. It was from the state government office, the organization that pays the rent. I have a question about a statement that was made. The letter reads: " As you can read the report indicates the corrective actions that you have taken have resulted in satisfactory levels of fungi. " Is this a misleading statement? Are there SATISFACTORY LEVELS of fungi? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2000 Report Share Posted June 28, 2000 REPLY....... A " satisfactory levels of fungi " depends on several factors: 1) the health of the person being exposed, esp. their immune system and condition of their lungs, ie asthma, etc. 2) the species of fungi, ie highly pathogenic? 3) The education and training of the person making the statement. DR. RICHARD L. LIPSEY TOXICOLOGIST UNIV OF NORTH FLA and FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF LAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2000 Report Share Posted June 28, 2000 ----- Original Message ----- From: <RLLIPSEY87@...> <egroups> Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 8:39 AM Subject: Re: [] I've Moved On > REPLY....... > A " satisfactory levels of fungi " depends on several factors: 1) the > health of the person being exposed, esp. their immune system and condition of > their lungs, ie asthma, etc. 2) the species of fungi, ie highly > pathogenic? 3) The education and training of the person making the > statement. > DR. RICHARD L. LIPSEY > TOXICOLOGIST > UNIV OF NORTH FLA and > FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF LAW > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Win $5000! Click Here: > 1/5943/3/_/504879/_/962195981/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Thank you Dr. Lipsey for your reply, it will help a lot!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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