9 to 5
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Sick Building Syndrome at work - advice needed!
in 9 to 5
First i want to warn you this may be long, but I'm at my wits end and need advice...
So this issue at work began about ten months ago, I realized that all of the trouble that I had been having with shortness of breath and stabbing pains in my chest always began while I was in the morning meeting at work. I brought this to my supervisors attention, he didn't seem to care too much at all. Eventually I stopped going to morning meetings. After a few months, the location of the meetings changed from the conference room to my supervisors office. At this point I began attending meetings again, but I started having the same problems breathing so, yet again, I have stopped attending meetings.
It may help to know that i was treated for pneumonia twice within 3 months and had numerous chest X-rays, breathing tests, and even a catscan. ( a lot of money and a few nights in the hospital).
I put my concerns in writing (around September) because no action had been taken to remedy the situation. At this point I requested building inspections and air quality tests be done. Only air quality tests were done. They showed abnormally high levels of many different types of mold, including black mold and penecillium. (I'm allergic to penicillin).
I feel like it's safe to say I'm having an allergic reaction to the mold in these buildings, so I wrote another letter requesting that steps be taken to remove the mold and improve the air quality in a timely manner (around October). My supervisor responded that something would be done when time permitted.
Well, here it is March and still nothing has been done. Yesterday my supervisor even told me that I had to attend mandatory training in one of the moldy buildings. After asking my supervisor if steps had been taken to improve the air quality, he said no, and I had to remind him that I was unwilling to put my health at risk. He wasn't very happy, but at least I didn't end up having an asthma attack today.
So what am I supposed to do? My supervisor has clearly taken a stance of "inaction" and I feel like this is interfering with my ability to do my job. Not to mention the fact that I haven't been able to completely avoid any of these buildings anyway, I try to hurry in, get what I need and get out, but it's not as simple as it sounds.
So what can I do? I've considered quitting but this job pays well and they work with my school schedule. I graduate in a year so I'd really like to hang in there for another year. Also I don't feel like I should have to, its not my fault that I'm having these issues. This is also a federal job so idk if that makes things more difficult.
Any advice is welcome! What would you do?
TIA!
Re: Sick Building Syndrome at work - advice needed!
This! If they know they are putting employees' health at risk and aren't doing anything about it, then they are likely in violation of federal law.
This definitely. You can also talk to HR. Via the Disability Act, they are legally obligated to make work a non-risk for you, which is why people can get special chairs, keyboards, etc. If you bring in the doc note or a list of the air quality test and your allergies, I don't see how they could not fix it or be mandated to move the meetings.
I don't have much to suggest. I hope it works out!
I was in a "sick building" at the first school I taught at. I know it was. It was a school built in the 70's that was a closed system (windows did not open), it had curtains on the windows and carpets on the floors. I know the curtains were original, but I don't know about the carpets. They looked pretty nasty. I had never in my life had any breathing/lung issues, but after working there for a few months, I was on 2 different inhalers and was sick all the time. My allergist said that I was reacting to the mold. I guess other people had issues, too, because the principal heard that the "new teacher" was out sick for the same types of things. He came to grill me about my symptoms. I ended up finding a job elsewhere for the next school year and my need for the inhalers totally disappeared. I know that school was a sick place to be!