a teacher from a local school contacted me telliing me she has had respiratory problems the last few weeks to a month and thinks it is due to deteriorating walls/ceiling in her classroom. I said yea thats a good possibility those dust particles will contribute to that. She then asked if it could be asbestos, and i told there’s no way of knowing for sure without seeing it or taking a sample to the lab to be tested. So she sent me a picture.
The picture looks as though it could be old gypsum/plaster over brick then covered with newer drywall. Im looking for a few more opinions to see if its worth her money/time to have her sample it.
Another interesting discussion she made was that she is nervous to report it because if it costs alot of money for the school to fix she thinks she would be on the chopping block. I recommended her having OSHA coming in for career day.
Any comments are appreciated.
If it is believed to be a health issue, Then it is DEFINATLY worth the fee of having it lab tested.
Why in a school is there holes in the wall like that, has it been inquired about already?
For me I wouldn’t be able to say one way or the other just from the picture. Hope it works out in the end. Keep us posted if it is tested.
I would say she needs a health inspector (for her) rather than a home inspector…
If she finds out what causes her symptoms, we know what to look for.
Yea i explained to her if the detioration is from moisture damage, then its very possible mold is present and that could be a cause as well. I advised to her to make an anonymous call to OSHA that way they have to look into it and force the school to make necessary changes, and not put a name to the whistleblower even though it could be life changing for the better to everyone in the school. ill update when i find out more on the situation.
So you moved the acoustic ceiling tile to reveal the so called “problem” ?
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My point was that moving the ceiling tile allowed contaminants into the room.
she could be allergic to anything in her path - it may be in her car at her house, in her yard, her neighbors dog, anything. literally
In Ohio, only a licensed industrial hygienist can take samples or determine whether the material is asbestos.