Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-2001-0445-3141, September 2011. Evaluation of Respiratory Health among Employees in a Water-Damaged Office Building - Connecticut

摘要

In July 2001, NIOSH received a health hazard evaluation request from a local union representing employees at a state office building in Connecticut. There had been reports of asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and sarcoidosis occurring among occupants in the building. The building, which had a reported history of water incursion and damage, was originally built in 1985 and purchased by the state of Connecticut from a private company in 1994. Two agencies had been in the office building since the building was purchased, with Agency A occupying the 5th, 6th, and upper floors (14th-20th) and Agency B on the lower floors (7th-12th floors). In 2005, another state agency, Agency C, relocated to the 6th floor of the building. The first four floors are used for parking. NIOSH conducted an initial health survey in 2001 and medical and environmental surveys in 2002. After these surveys, the building underwent major remediation between 2002 and early 2004, with additional remediation through 2007. After major remediation was completed, NIOSH conducted the first follow-up health questionnaire survey in 2004 and two additional follow-up surveys in 2005 and 2007. NIOSH also performed follow-up medical surveys in 2004 and 2005 on a subset of employees, and conducted follow-up environmental evaluations in 2004, 2005, and 2007. NIOSH invited all occupants to participate in the health questionnaire surveys offered in 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2007.