BROWARD

Judges request mold and asbestos testing at courthouse

Judge Cheryl Alemán, 52, died Dec. 2nd, just weeks after learning she had an aggressive form of lung cancer.

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Worried that Judge Cheryl Alemán’s surprising death last month from lung cancer may be linked to mold or asbestos contamination in the aged Broward County Courthouse, three judges have moved their chambers and requested environmental testing.

Judges Susan Greenhawt, Patti Englander Henning and Mily Rodriguez Powell, Alemán’s neighbors on the ninth floor, moved Friday to temporary second-floor offices.

“There were issues with a serious illness with one or more judges in the area,” Englander Henning said in a telephone interview Monday. “Prudence suggested that we request to be moved until they can test and determine what the problem is and how it can be remedied. And obviously, it was a valid enough claim that they were good enough to move us.”

The county launched a series of environmental tests last week. This week, attorneys suing the county on behalf of courthouse employees claiming exposure to toxic mold arranged for testing at the request of several judges.

“It’s our perspective that this building should not be inhabited for work; it’s making people sick,” said Bob McKee, law partner of Walter “Skip” Campbell, a civil attorney and former state senator who has filed a series of lawsuits on behalf of court employees.

McKee said he and Campbell have hired independent experts to test chambers on the seventh, eighth and ninth floors at the requests of judges Victor Tobin, Charles Greene, John Bowman, Dale Cohen, Marc Speiser and Englander Henning.

Alemán, 52, died Dec. 2, just weeks after learning she had an aggressive form of lung cancer. She had visited the hospital with flu-like symptoms in early October and soon after was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

Alemán’s husband, Omar, could not be reached for comment.

In the immediate aftermath of Alemán’s death, the judges requested mold and asbestos testing in courtroom 995 and the ninth-floor chambers of Alemán, Greenhawt, Englander Henning and Rodriguez Powell, according to a Dec. 31 report reviewed by the Sun Sentinel.

“The judge occupying room 999 had recently succumbed to an aggressive lung cancer,” according to the report by Miami-based Advanced Industrial Hygiene Services Inc. “The three judges in the ‘quadrangle’ of offices [all located in the same general area on the ninth floor] were concerned that the cancer may have been related to the indoor environmental condition in the courthouse.

“They suspected that asbestos-containing materials and mold contamination was present in the building and in their individual chambers.”

Asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma lung cancer, and mold can lead to many health problems, including sinus infections and respiratory problems.

The report showed varying levels of fungal growth in the tested areas and asbestos fibers “above the regulatory limit” in Alemán’s chambers and courtroom 995.

The report concluded that Aleman’s chambers had a “very high concentration of indicator fungal spore types” that may be affecting nearby areas.

One week after that report was issued, the three judges moved to different chambers and the county launched its own round of tests, said Pete Corwin, assistant to the county administrator.

A survey about 11/2 years ago showed the existence of asbestos in the courthouse, he said.

“What we found is there is asbestos; but it is in ceiling tiles and floor tiles, but it’s not in the air. We always knew it was there; it was just a matter of mapping where it is exactly,” Corwin said. “We’re doing everything we can to assure the people that it’s safe and to do a very comprehensive test in the area.”

In the past three years, the half-century-old main section of the courthouse has been the scene of nearly half a dozen floods. County commissioners have approved a new courthouse, but construction won’t be completed until 2014, at the earliest.

 

Tonya Alanez can be reached at tealanez@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4542.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/11/2010426/judges-request-mold-and-asbestos.html#ixzz1C5irIS5h

Be sure to look around your A/C unit and make sure that the drain line from the drip pan is not clogged…  If it gets clogged get a shop vac and suck out what is inside from the end of the drain line. If your A/C were to freeze over and the drain line is clogged then the drip pan will eventually overflow, causing water damage to the surrounding area. Such incident like the one i just explained commonly lead to mold.   The more we can prevent the more we can save.

Keep checking in for more helpfull tips….

Rain water accumulates between the roof and a blocked gutter. Flat roof drains can clog and hold water on the roof, increasing the risks of a leak and a possible collapse of the entire roof under the weight of the water.

Attics

Poor attic insulation and ventilation allows heat to escape, turning rooftop snow into an ice dam. Ice-dams often force moisture to back up under roof shingles where it can drip into the attic or walls.

Windows and Doors

Improperly installed windows and doors allow moisture to penetrate into the wall. Damaged seals, weather-stripping, and flashing around windows or doors can cause windblown moisture penetration.

Gutter & Drain

Clogged gutters can force rainwater to travel under shingles, or to overflow and travel down interior walls. An insufficient number of drains can cause an overflow.

Gutters that don’t empty far enough away from foundation walls can lead to damage and a wet basement. Frozen gutters can act exactly like ice dams, pushing moisture up under the shingles and into the house

Rainwater

Rainwater collects along the foundation wall or beneath the floor during wet months unless directed away by proper drainage.

Landscape Grade

Improper landscape grading can result in drainage toward foundation walls, rather than away from them.

Heating & Air Conditioning Systems

Failure to clean and service air conditioners can lead to poor performance, higher operating costs and moisture problems. Moist and dusty cooling ducts promote mold and other water-borne biological growth.

Plumbing

Plumbing fixtures usually develop leaks due to pipe joint, or hose attachment failures.

Internal wall leaks are hard to detect and often result in significant damage.

Appliances

Water heaters, washers, and dryers tend to rust and crack over time, allowing water to drip out. These appliances can leak slowly or cause a flood if severely damaged. Their hoses tend to deteriorate from the inside out, resulting in leaks as well. Damage can be significantly heavier when the leaky appliance is installed upstairs or in an attic.

Kitchen leaks from a worn seal can divert water into walls and wooden countertop supports.

Pipes

Common pipe problems include blocked toilets and drains (especially kitchen drains, where grease accumulates), stoppages of garbage disposals, roots in sewer lines and deterioration and bursting of water lines.

Weather

Others reasons for water damage are unpredictable summer storms, floods, and other water- accompanied disasters such as hurricanes, blizzards, and tornados.

Dampness and humidity promote the growth of moisture-related mold and mildew that can lead to toxic, mold-related reactions such as immune disorders, pathogenic disease and cancer. Allergic reactions consist of painful headaches, disorientation and dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, chronic asthma, rashes and open sores, and chronic fatigue.

Be aware that floodwaters may also be contaminated with sewage and waste. These are fertile breeding ground for disease carrying termites and insect infestation.

Water Related Structural Hazards and Risks

Water saturation affects and damages structures in a few ways.

Direct damage to materials leading to structural instability:

• Wallboard disintegrates
• Structural integrity of concrete is undermined
• Support columns resting in waterlogged soil slowly twist and tilt
• Wood swells, warps, and rots
• Stairs, floors, and roofs may collapse bulging ceilings, indicating trapped water

Electrical systems can short out, malfunction, and cause fires or shock.

Leaking LP gas (also known as natural gas) can cause fire or gas poisoning.

Household possessions and interior design can be damaged as follows:

• Mud and silt get possessions and valuables dirty
• Paint and wall coverings peel off
• Floor tiles are lifted
• Panels wrap
• Carpets stain and rot
• Furnishings such as textiles and furniture stain
• Books, photographs, paintings become extremely fragile

Property value decreases after being wet. Most insulation is ineffective, but it will continue to hold and create high moisture conditions which will damage metal, masonry, and wood.