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Workplace Mold Questions and Answers
Q.
(Feb. 24, 2012) I have worked for the same manufacturing company off and on
for about 30 years. We make metal parts, which require the use of plywood
and OSB to pack the parts and ship them out. The reason I am write is the
fact that I have smelled mildew coming from the wood for years and have
recently noticed my health not being 100% with aches and pains throughout my
body and continuous coughing. I have found out that most of the wood that is
sent out is usually stored outside in the elements and is almost always sent
back to us wet. We then store it in our dry good area until it is needed
again. There are times when you can smell the mildew smell throughout the
entire shop and I have seen mold on the wood stored. How dangerous is this
and how would I go about reporting something like this without endangering
my job?
A.
The workplace mold you smell and see on the plywood and OSB used for
shipping products your company makes is very dangerous to your health and to
the health of your co-workers. Being exposed on a regular basis to elevated
levels of indoor mold can cause up to a hundred different mold symptoms and
mold illnesses, a complete list of which you can read on the home page of
the
Mold Inspector website. Your health problems, especially your chronic
coughing, are likely to be the result of your continuous exposure to
workplace mold. Your employer has an obligation to provide you with an
environmentally-safe workplace---your workplace is not safe because of the
elevated level of mold exposure. Show this reply to your company owner,
president, or manager, and ask management to fix this problem by: (1)
getting rid of (burning preferably) all of the present accumulation of moldy
shipping materials; and (2) buying new shipping materials which have been
visually inspected to be mold-free and which are kept INDOORS to avoid
becoming wet and therefore mold-producing. If your management does not take
care of the problem, you can contact anonymously your state's occupational
and safety health administration agency to alert it of your facility's mold
problems and ask for a safety inspection of your employer's facility. If you
get fired for reporting a safety hazard like mold problems, your company
could receive a large fine from the safety agency and you would have grounds
for a major lawsuit against your employer. You should also learn all about
workplace mold problems by visiting
Workplace Mold. In the mean time, please read my indepth 2012 edition Mold
Health Guide, only $15 and available to you for email attachment
delivery from
Mold Mart. If I can be of further help, please email me. Thanks, Phillip
Fry, Certified Environmental Hygienist
Q.
October 5, 2011. Thank you. I received your Mold Legal Guide
book just fine. Looks like you put a LOT of work into that subject! My wife
has allergies and was subjected to many months of mold exposure in a “sick
building”. The roof leaked and moldy ceiling tiles were coming down while
water dripped into buckets. The dehumidifier was leaking and injecting mold
through the duct work. We took mold samples and had them diagnosed. A strong
presence was documented. Nothing was done for the longest time, and then it
was just a superficial wipe down. Her body system broke down and she has
lost much time from work, had developed asthma and extreme sensitivity. She
can no longer go outside, let alone open our windows to regulate the home
temperatures.
She was transferred to a “new” building, and slowly began deteriorating
again. A leak was found here too, but not nearly so bad. The doctor ordered
her off work for six weeks. Upon returning, she had a headache within 10
minutes, and started passing out after two hours. Her allergy doctor was
only a few blocks away, and she headed there. She passed out as she
approached the building and was startled awake as she hit the door.
Allergist knew she was coming, and had epipen waiting. They gave her 5
doses! And after 45 minutes on oxygen, she had a saturation level of only
11% !!!!! All this in a STATE FACILITY building !!! The response we are
having is dismal. They simply ignore us. Want her to quit, or go on
disability.
Ultimately, we have learned, the original building was abandoned. We have
retained an attorney, but often I feel that she is not really attuned to the
mold issue. Seems that not many people, even doctors have any idea what can
happen once one’s immune system has been compromised. This is a VERY
frustrating, brick wall, uphill experience and has completely changed our
lives. Thanks again for the Mold Legal Guide. Hope we can
glean some bits that will make a difference in this case.
A.
I'm sorry that your wife has suffered so much because of workplace mold. As
you already know, most attorneys are mold ignorant. You ought to buy an
additional copy of my Mold Legal Guide for us to deliver by email attachment
to your attorney so that she will be much more knowledgeable about mold
legal issues. May I also suggest that you also buy two copies of my book
Mold Health Guide, one copy for you and your wife, and one for your
attorney.
The books are available for email attachment delivery from http://www.moldmart.net.
Because your wife's mold sickness happened at work, the most likely legal
remedy your attorney will find helpful is to do what your wife's employer is
thinking about---your wife's going on disability. But not just Social
Security Disability, but for your attorney to consider helping your wife
file a worker's compensation claim against the State.. In most states,
workers' can only make claims against an employer for employment-health
caused problems through each state's worker's compensation program, and
there is a bar against non-worker's comp lawsuits against an employer. Ask
your attorney to research about how to win a worker's comp mold case against
her employer. If I can be of further help to you and your attorney, I am
here to serve you, Phillip Fry, Certified Environmental Hygienist
To ask your workplace mold question, please email
mold expert Phillip Fry
phil@moldinspector.com.
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