Tampa and Jacksonville Federal Courthouses Contaminated
August 21, 2001
Employees working in the Sam M. Gibbons Federal Courthouse in Tampa are three times more likely to have adult onset asthma and other respiratory illnesses than other Federal courthouse employees within the State. Courthouse employees also report nearly five times as many cases of "sick building syndrome," an illness characterized by headaches, dizziness, runny nose, and itchy eyes.
The building is plagued by mold, a leaky roof, and diesel fumes, all of which lead to poor air quality. An environmental assessment report recently filed with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts details the building's problems.
The courthouse is only four years old, yet the facility has endured a stormy past. When employees moved into the new courthouse, they brought furniture, books, and papers from the old courthouse, a building already teeming with mold contamination. Mold on these objects has infiltrated the new courthouse. Adding to the problems, the new air conditioning system has difficulty controlling the humidity and temperature within the building.
The environmental report was triggered by increasing numbers of health complaints filed by employees. The report recommends professional cleaning of the building's ducts and suggests that officials leave the air conditioner on around the clock.
Jacksonville's 68-year-old Federal courthouse is so full of mold and mildew that workers are blocking air flow into their offices to keep from getting sick. More than 200 people work inside the courthouse, which is scheduled to close in 2002. The complex also houses a post office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Border Patrol facilities.
The report suggests that affected employees be kept out of the Jacksonville complex until the new courthouse is opened in 2002. The report even hints that the building may need to be closed immediately. The General Services Administration is bringing in a group of medical experts to study the problem further.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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