Questions are being raised whether the Tower Buildingis a healthy place to work, given evidence of its deterioratingphysical condition and reported cases of minor and serious illnessesamong workers in the building.Up Front
Tower Building Sick?
Questions are being raised whether the Tower Buildingis a healthy place to work, given evidence of its deterioratingphysical condition and reported cases of minor and serious illnessesamong workers in the building.
The five-story Tower Building, on NorthChurch Street in George Town, was occupied in 1984 and is oneof four main centres in which government departments are located.Some 200 civil servants work in the building.
It houses the Auditor General's Office;Computer Services Distribution Room; Human Resources Department;Legal Department, Lands and Survey Department; the Liquor Inspector'sOffice; the Personnel Training Unit; Planning Department; theElections Office; Registry, General; Social Services Departmentand the Sports Office.
Sources, including several workers in thebuilding, who spoke to Cayman Net News on condition of anonymity,have expressed concern about the general health of the building.One source, in a letter to this newspaper questioned whether theTower Building was "sick", within the context of SickBuilding Syndrome (SBS), as defined by the United States' EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA).
By the EPA's definition, a building doesnot qualify as a sick building because of its appearance, mechanicalproblems or poor design problems. According to the agency,
SBS is a condition that occurs where structuralflaws result in a plethora of health problems for the personswho frequent or occupy a building on a regular basis.
Symptoms range from the continually annoyingoffice headache to very serious ailments such as respiratory infections.They may resemble signs of the common cold - headaches, dizziness,running noses, irritated eyes, sore throats, nausea, and respiratoryproblems or infections and are always quite uncomfortable butusually hard to discern.
Building occupants may complain of theseconditions, along with fatigue, sensitivity to odors and difficultyin concentrating. They may also report relief after leaving thebuilding.
In some cases radon, asbestos or unreaformaldehydefoam installation present in the building can lead to life-threateningillnesses, such as cancer.
There are many causes of SBS ranging fromchemical contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources, biologicalcontaminants, to poor ventilation. Without proper ventilation,it is difficult to control the relative humidity inside. Thisleads to condensation, which results in unhealthy mold, bacteriaand mildew.
In addition, water damage, unhealthy fumesand poor housekeeping can also cause sickness. If the buildingis not cleaned thoroughly, cleaning agents can create problems.They give off hazardous chemicals. Printers and copiers emit harmfulgases, found in the inking materials. All of these factors cancontribute to SBS.
An inspection of the Tower Building by CaymanNet News revealed signs of water damage, evidence of rust, moldingand mildew. According to sources, the flat roof in the centreof the building, referred to as the central bank by an architect,is a basic flaw in the building because when it rains the waterthat comes in has nowhere to go and there is usually too muchof it to evaporate. Those sources also indicate that Governmentis actively looking to place a temporary roof in the centre ofthe building in the early this next year.
It appears that the air-conditioning ductson the second and third floors have been renovated recently andnew insulation has been installed; most of the third floor hashad the ceiling tiles replaced. In most of the bathrooms, water-stainedceiling tiles, water damages and rusty areas around the baseboardscould be seen. Throughout the building, the carpet appears oldand stained.
A highly-placed government source also toldCayman Net News that the building is a source of concern and thatthere is consideration to either do an extensive overhaul, orperhaps eventually to demolish it.
Though none of the several employees inthe building with whom Cayman Net News spoke wanted to be identified,several were uneasy about the condition of the building and itseffect on their health.
"The building is terrible. It needsto gutted and redone. At least five people have developed cancer.Two have died. I believe that government would do better to ifthey moved. Several weeks ago the ceiling tiles collapse overnight,"one employee said.
One government official bluntly stated thathe would not want to work, nor have any member of his family workin that building.
It should be pointed out that there doesnot appear to be a link in the types of cancers that the fiveare said to have developed. Maybe this fact could be dismissedas a statistical coincidence since there are many causes of cancer.While four of those cases have been tumorous cancers the victimsor patients may have had a predisposition for those types of cancersand they might not be connected to the building itself.
Cayman Net News tried, without success,to contact various government departments for comment, includingPublic Works, which is responsible for building maintenance, Lands& Survey, which is in charge of the building and the Departmentof Environment and Department of Environmental Health.
While most people felt that the Tower Buildingdid not contribute to their having the various symptoms associatedwith SBS, they felt strongly that something was not quite right.
It is not always easy to directly link thesymptoms of Sick Building Syndrome with employee illnesses, expertssay that the proper procedure is for patients and doctors notto be hasty in blaming the workplace immediately. An investigationshould be conducted to ensure that the alleged sick building isindeed the root of the problem.
Next Week: A look at Government's existingaccommodations and future office space needs.