NATCA Claims Spores Responsible For Health Problems

Findings of significant mold concentrations in the busy Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center in Hampton, GA have resulted in a work stoppage by a contractor hired to perform unrelated work on the facility's ventilation system.

According to Georgia's The Citizen newspaper, workers at Peachtree Mechanical were not aware of the problem, until testing revealed evidence of Scopulariopsis (above) last month.

"It has just been brought to the attention of Peachtree Mechanical, Inc. that there are issues at the FAA with mold and fungus," company VP Richard Denney wrote in an October 5 letter to the FAA. "Peachtree Mechanical Inc. has not been made aware of any issues associated with mold and fungus. We have issued a 'work stoppage' for all of our work forces, subcontractors and vendors until further directed by the FAA that we are clear of this issue.

"We take this as a very serious issue and concern and must act to protect the well-being and safety of all our employees," Denney added.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association tells ANN fungal samples were taken at the facility on September 20 by Analytical Environmental. Scopulariopsis was found in mold growth under the facility's elevated floor, and in the duct work.

NATCA Atlanta Center Facility Representative Calvin Phillips says approximately half of the more than 300 controllers in the facility have suffered various degrees of health problems over a prolonged period of time. The union attributes those illnesses to the mold, brought on by a chronically leaky roof at the facility.

Phillips noted testing revealed mold spore contamination in the control room far exceeded the parameters of the test's highest category, "loaded." Such a rating indicates between 76-100 spores found per cubic meter; testers found 1,700 spores per cubic meter.

"The rampant growth of the mold was finally revealed. We are basically surrounded by this highly toxic fungus," Phillips said last week. "For years we have been complaining of health issues and have suspected our sick building was to blame."

Denney says the mold poses a hazard to his company's employees, too... and the FAA failed to tell the company about it when Peachtree was hired to remove duct work at the center.

"This work is the housing and manifesting areas that could possibly hold mold and fungus," he said. "We have been directed to demolish said items above and we were never given any warning that the possibility of mold and fungus could be present. We have not been notified of the ongoing issues at the FAA by anyone."

FAA spokesperson Kathleen Bergen said the agency is working to address controllers' concerns, including removal of the mold and replacing the building's roof. NATCA counters the roof has leaked for years... and the FAA has done little to rectify the issue.

"What is really outrageous is that employees have been complaining about symptoms like this for years at Atlanta Center," said NATCA Southern Regional Vice President Victor Santore. "The roof has leaked for years and they wouldn't fix it correctly. They built channels in the ceiling to re-route water away from the control floor but didn't fix the roof."

FMI: Read Richard Denney's Letter To The FAA (.pdf), www.faa.gov, www.natca.org, www.moldbacteria.com