Mold at Work

by Tim Collins
(Lexington Ky USA)

I'll make a long story as short as possible. A few years ago I started a new job in an old warehouse built during WWII for Lockheed Martin. I started getting red, itchy, watery eyes, my hands started swelling, skin started coming off my fingers, also turning colors, fingers cracking open and were bleeding, My fingernails were growing rapidly, itching like you would not believe. My feet itched, and I had foot soreness, joint pain, memory loss, and blurred vision.

I saw 7 doctors and none asked me if I had any contact with mold. It took me 9 months to SELF diagnose what was wrong with me. I took two weeks off at Christmas time and started to heal. That is when I knew it was at work. The whole roof was full of black mold. You could see it where insulation had come loose. I told management, HR, Everybody. Environmental Safety and Health said they did an air quality test. BS.

The whole place needs a bulldozer.

I'm amazed what management will do to cover up something as deadly as mold to keep production going at the cost of the worker's health!

Mold produces mycotoxins which means (fungal POISON). So in short mold is poison.

I still can't believe I lost my job over mold! Did you know it can lower your IQ? I was tired all the time and didn't know why, even though I was getting plenty of rest on the weekends.

Mold is evil stuff. If you or someone you know is feeling ill and the doctor can't seem to help, think fungus!! You may have it under your nose. Ask someone to come to your house and have a smell and see what they smell. I could keep writing but you get the main points.

I didn't know anything about mold until I was having health issues and was desperate to figure it out. I finally did, but I suffered for almost a year. I had to quit my job that I liked. UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Editors Reply

Thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully, your experience will help others who read this. Unfortunately, mold in older work buildings is an all too common issue. Your options are to contact your employer and hope they are receptive, or to contact OSHA and/or your local health department. Most people are scared to go outside the company because they worry they will lose their jobs. However, nothing is as important as your health, and you need to do everything you can to protect it. Finding a new job is a much better option than suffering and developing health issues as a result of exposure to mold.

Here are some links that could be helpful:

Testing for Mold
Sick Building Syndrome
Causes of Mold
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)