I Think My Office Is Making Me Sick

You can get a mold test kit at Lowes or Home Depot. I would talk to the HR dept at work and a the maintainance dept and report the smell, damaged tiles, etc. Mold can grow behind the walls, where you can't see it, but the spores can float out of the walls, from any small gap or crack. Breathing in mold spores can cause a number of respiratory problems.

There have been good suggestions so far. I wanted to add that you can and should do something about this. See if other people in the office are also feeling ill. Definitely bring it to the attention of your boss. If nothing happens, go higher. Also, report it to the County Health Department.

Mold and other toxins can definitely make you sick, and being sick can make you depressed. Some chemicals can make you depressed, too, or give you other mental/emotional symptoms, including mood swings, dizziness and confusion.

Don't take this lightly, because your remaining ability to function can take a dive without warning. I know, because I got terribly sick more than 20 years ago from multiple chemical exposures, and have been dealing with the consequences ever since. And once I became completely intolerant of certain chemicals, I also started having severe reactions to all molds and mildews, most foods, and other allergens that had never bothered me before. It can be cumulative once your body has been pushed past its limit.

My life is extremely limited now because of all the things I can't do and places I can't go. Like any public place where people are wearing perfume, for instance. Or places / homes / public bathrooms where air "frsheners" are in use. It's a good thing I'm self-employed, because working in a more public situation would be virtually impossible now.

Good luck. You don't really say how big your company is, or even whether you are renting your own office space. But do check out the suggestions here: http://www.presenting.net/sbs/sbs.html#ACTION

I think you'd be wise to request from the office manager and/or HR that they fix the roof, first of all, to stop any future problems (if your company doesn't own the building, then it should be easy - the lease should require the Landlord to fix the roof within a reasonable time frame, and may even provide for the LL to make repairs inside the building if they fail to take action on the leaky roof). Then, request that they fix the walls and ceiling tiles. Make these requests in writing, request a read receipt on them, and blind-copy your home e-mail so you have copies. Meanwhile, if you are experiencing health issues, check with your doctor as to whether s/he thinks they are mold related. If they are, you should mention this in your e-mails. Frankly, I'm surprised that your company isn't more on top of this. I work for a construction company, and we get a LOT of work remediating mold. Most companies jump right on this due to potential lawsuits.

If your office is open to the public, the county health department may be of assistance. If your company doesn't respond to your requests for repairs, then you could make a call to the health department. They do have the power to force businesses to make repairs, if the building is open to the public.

I know all about it. My mother was a teacher and worked in a sick building where there were not only issues with mold and mildew but also with rugs that had been cleaned with full-strength rug cleaner accidentally (as opposed to being diluted with water like 50 parts to 1). She experienced headaches, dizziness, depression, breathing problems and more. The owners/principal/ school board tried to make her out to be crazy so she had a battle on her hands. You HAVE RIGHTS.
Try this website to get yourself started.
http://www.presenting.net/sbs/sbs.html#ACTION

If your office gets wet often, then chances are you have mold. It can be inside the walls, under the floor (even if it's tile, water still gets under there and can't dry out). If it were me, and HR doesn't want to do anything about it, I would document what had been told to me with the date, and conduct my own test without telling anyone (I might even be tempted to pull up a piece of floor). Then when you get answers to confirm, go to HR again with the findings and if they still won't do anything then it's time to see a lawyer. If this is a public business, then L&I can force them to clean it up. You might even be able to go straight to L&I without a lawyer, but talk to a lawyer first.

It's entirely possible that your office is making you sick- although probably not depressed. I would put a request IN WRITING to your supervisor asking that he/she look into a solution. If you do not get a response within a couple of days, write another letter (include a copy of the original) to the next person "up".

You have the right to a safe and healthy work environment- there are probably more specific guidelines on the OSHA site!

Hi, Nicole:
Yes, your office can make you sick if mold and mildew are embedded
in the office material.

Now to get it fixed is the problem. Have you talked with your boss and
explained how you feel about your situation?

If he/she is willing to have a discussion about the solution, that is great. If not, this is where you will need a mediator or conflict coach.

There is a mediation web site you can check if you need help.

Good luck. D.

I think B has the best answer so far - if you do have it tested, you may be obligated to have it done on your own dime to see if the office is, in fact, causing your health issues.

If you're in a large enough company (with an HR department), you could likely file an appeal with them to have it on the record. You may also look into your local Department of Health to see what they recommend.

Otherwise, I don't know the law well enough to know what's your right vs. your employer's rights. Regardless, molds/mildew can be toxic and can cause major health issues.

Good luck!

Unfortunately "Currently, there are no federal standards or recommendations, (e.g., OSHA, NIOSH, EPA) for airborne concentrations of mold or mold spores.".
http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib101003.html
This means your employer doesn't have to do anything about it.
Mold is expensive to clean up. Management more than likely does not want to spend the money. If there are other health violations (the falling down ceiling tiles might be one issue), you might be able to report them to OSHA. But what if the company prefers to close down instead of fixing the problem? Or what if they decide to relocate to across the country and lay off everyone at your site? I don't know how big the company you work for is. It happens.
It comes down to 'how badly do you need the job' vs 'how badly is this affecting your health'? You might do better just looking for a new job that will get you away from this work environment. Or maybe you can convince them to let you work more from home. If they let you work from home completely, your problem is solved.

This absolutely could be the cause of your health problems. Don't second guess yourself. Get this checked out. My mother ended up with allergic related pnueomonia and asthma due to mold growing under a house that had been built on a property that had at one time been a spring.

If you can get your hands on an air purifier try putting that in your office, or talk to a lawyer about your rights, but do get the place tested.

It is not good if your office is making you site. They need to move you if there is obviously a problem with where you sit. Have you said anything? You do not have to be afraid to say some thing about working in conditions that are not safe. May be it is the roof and may be they need to look into that and get it fixed. If they are paying rent for the office space then the property management needs to look into this and get it fixed. OSCA i think is involved in safety in the work place. May be you can get on their website and look. Good luck

You can test it. But chances are they won't fix it right. Any chance you can request a new office? Transfer to a different facility or department in town, or such?