[50404] in Hotline Meeting
Summary of E19 air quality investigation
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lou DiBerardinis)
Wed Mar 22 13:10:31 2000
Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.20000322130712.012917f0@hesiod>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 13:07:12 -0500
To: shutdown@plant.mit.edu (Operators in E19),
rm-shutdown@MIT.EDU (Repair & Maintenance Coaches),
rm-support@MIT.EDU (R&M Support Team),
e19site@MIT.EDU (Information Systems), andreab@MIT.EDU (ODSUE),
shutdowns@MIT.EDU (Information Systems), jrivera@MIT.EDU,
jmedeiro@MIT.EDU (Procurement Office), safety@MIT.EDU (Safety Office),
joanf@MIT.EDU (Human Resources),
wbarrett@MIT.EDU (Office of Sponsored Programs),
edie@MIT.EDU (Comptrollers Office), sfalconi@MIT.EDU (Budget Office),
cashaw@MIT.EDU (Audit Division), joconor@MIT.EDU (Audit Division),
mbowers@MIT.EDU (Audit Division), kshooter@MIT.EDU (Credit Union),
lambert@MIT.EDU (Operations & Systems),
tmeehan@MIT.EDU (Property Office), opsnote@MIT.EDU (Telecom Office),
esico@MIT.EDU (Travel Office), honiker@MIT.EDU (Comptrollers office),
kelley@MIT.EDU (Operations & Systems),
bshannon@MIT.EDU (Information Systems 7th floor), lsanto@MIT.EDU,
E-Zone@MIT.EDU (E-Zone)
From: Lou DiBerardinis <loudib@MIT.EDU>
Cc: bobcliff@MIT.EDU, loudib@MIT.EDU, redwards@MIT.EDU, mfresina@MIT.EDU,
greenley@MIT.EDU, hallock@MIT.EDU, mmahoney@MIT.EDU, johnnyd@MIT.EDU,
tr6@MIT.EDU, tonyo@MIT.EDU, jdoucett@MIT.EDU, tomlynch@MIT.EDU,
jwallace@MIT.EDU, mccunney@MIT.EDU, diam@med.MIT.EDU
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Building E19 Department Contacts
Below is a summary I prepared for Vicky Sirianni and Jamie Keith regarding
the outcome of the meetings Facilities and EMS held with E19 building
occuppants in November and December,1999 and January,2000. As the e-mail
contact person I ask that you share this update with members of your
department. One of the outcomes of the meetings was to develop a better
communications system. I hope this helped during Tuesday's episode.
The procedure indicates that the first call should go to the Zone for
immediate action. However, anyone should feel free to contact me if issues
do not get resolved. I will monitor the action items set forth in the memo
and communicate with you. If you have any other suggestions or
comments,please contact me directly.
Lou DiBerardinis,
Director of Operations and Administration,
Environmental Medical Service
253-9389
EMS and Facilities met with 104 occupants of E19 in 8 different meetings
from November, 1999 to January, 2000 to review any air quality, temperature
and comfort issues in E19. This effort included a review of the procedures
for reporting and responding to current concerns, a description of the
complaints that have been reported about E19 in the past and a discussion
of actions responding to these issues. The following concerns were raised
by the occupants:
1. Absence of a good method for accurate and timely communication about
conditions in E19.
2. Inability to control temperature to comfortable levels
3. Future construction impact on Indoor Air Quality.
4. General building conditions are dusty and dirty.
5. Concern about cancer cases in the building.
6. Lack of familiarity with the research being done at the Cancer Center in
E18.
7. Presence of vehicle exhaust odors and construction related odors.
8. Continuing water leaks from window fan coil units.
9. Concern about follow-up by the Medical Department when health concerns
are raised.
The following actions have been initiated and communicated to the occupants:
1. A communication e-mail list (with at least one person from each
department) has been established for the building by Facilities.
Departments have been encouraged to provide more than one name for the
list. EMS will also use this list to send
communications.
2. Roger Cayer, Facilities project manager, is posting and e-mailing to
occupants a weekly list of construction activities occurring in E18.
3. Occupants are instructed to immediately contact the E-Zone with any
concerns about odors, air quality or temperature. Paul Motroni, Facilities
Zone E coach, will coordinate a response that includes checking conditions
at the loading dock and the HVAC system. EMS will be called as needed.
4. A continuous air monitoring device will be installed in the air intakes
to E19 by the end of April by Facilities (Lakhan Verma). It will monitor
CO2 and NOX as indicators of diesel exhaust and when set levels are
exceeded, the outdoor air dampers will close, preventing intake of exhaust
to the building, and an alarm will be sent to Operations initiating an
immediate investigation and corrective action such as the need to stop
trucks from idling in violation of loading dock procedures. The set levels
are air concentration levels low enough to initiate action before any
health effects can occur.
5. The dock employees have been instructed by Jim Wallace to enforce the
shutdown of vehicle engines while at the dock.
6. Facilities (Lakhan Verma) will initiate an engineering study of the HVAC
system on the 6th floor (Budget Office) to identify if it is in balance.
7. Facilities will investigate the condition of the fan coil units on the
7th floor (OSP).
8. Dr. McCunney, an occupational physician, and Lou DiBerardinis, a
Certified Industrial Hygienist, have performed an initial evaluation of the
incidence of cancer in the building. There is a relatively small number of
total known cases in the building and of these cases the types vary. In
addition, the types of cancers that can be associated with environmental
causes such as lung or liver cancer, have not been reported in the
building. All in all these facts do not suggest a relationship of the
building environment with these cancer cases. However, if any individual
is concerned about cancer or any other health issue, Dr. McCunney or Dr.
Diamond of the Medical Department are available for personal evaluation or
advice and there is no charge for office visits.
9. Dr. McCunney of EMS will review the proper follow-up procedures with the
Medical Department staff so that any patient visits related to indoor air
quality are referred to Dr. Diamond or Dr. McCunney (physicians with
expertise in occupational medicine) for evaluation and any necessary
follow-up.
