WASHINGTON -- Workers at the U.S. Department of Interior Headquarters complex have been exposed to harmful chemical fumes, smoke and construction dust for years, according to a new federal health evaluation.
The hazards cited in the report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) impact 2,000 federal workers.

Poor indoor air quality practices during the reconstruction of the Main Interior Building, at 1849 C St., N.W., have caused hundreds of employees to complain of headaches, nausea, asthma attacks, allergy aggravation, eye and upper respiratory irritation and other ailments, the report finds.

Investigators spoke with 10 employees who worked in the Main Interior Building. Of those, half of the employees reported experiencing some type of health problem. The most common concern among the employees was "dustiness outside the construction barricades and the presence of odor."

Many DOI employees told investigators they had experienced asthma attacks in the building and lower respiratory symptoms, including chest tightness, while working in the Main Interior Building.

Investigators used chemical tracer smoke to "evaluate airflow pathways through penetrations, cracks and separations" in construction areas and nearby offices, according to the report.

The report's most significant finding was that the building was "intentionally operating under positive pressure," meaning that air contaminants such as dust and vapors were not properly sealed off from office work areas.
Investigators also found "numerous" barriers that were improperly installed between construction areas and office work areas. The necessary fiberglass and polyethylene insulation and sealing tape was often missing or detached from the barricades, and openings were sometimes visible at the bottom.

The report also found loose polyethylene sheeting and duct tape used to seal air ducts in hallways, as well as large holes in floor baseboards, walls and ceilings.

Investigators witnessed construction workers "dry sweeping construction debris" instead of using wet methods or vacuuming to suppress dust. On two floors, investigators noted fire extinguishers with expired inspections.
While there was no evidence of "immediate, life threatening health issues for occupants," the report urged the department to implement "appropriate control measures."

The report concluded with a series of 10 recommendations to resolve the indoor environmental quality problems associated with the renovation.

The recommendations include the following:

• Maintaining "negative pressure" in demolition and construction areas via HVAC units and manometers to prevent dust and odors from reaching office work areas.
• The implementation and adherence to Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association guidelines through designated representatives from the DOI, General Services Administration and Jacobs Facilities Inc.
• Communication between the DOI and GSA to provide DOI employees with current information about the renovation and results of air quality improvement efforts.
• Proper construction walls and barricades to prevent dust and odors from penetrating office work areas.
• Limiting traffic in and out of construction areas and increasing efforts to vacuum and remove debris more often.

Interior Department Secretary Dirk Kempthorne held a May 22 all-employee meeting and told workers there was "nothing more important" than ensuring the health and safety of the department's workplace.

The department has been working to fix workplace hazards found during an internal safety audit that WTOP told you about in February. The department has yet to release a final version of that audit.

The Interior Office of Inspector General is in the process of interviewing thousands of employees as part of its own investigation.

The 71-year-old Main Interior Building was completed in 1936 and built by the Franklin Roosevelt administration. It has been in the midst of a 10-year renovation project, which began in 2002 and is expected to be completed in 2012.

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=1154193