AIR QUALITY TEST

The School has made significant and on-going efforts since March 16 to assess and correct the problems created by the Attack! 2000 mishandling. An air quality test was done shortly after the chemical-soaked wood flooring was removed, and five days after the incident occurred. “The testing was done on Tuesday, March 21, 2006, for approximately a five-hour period (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) after the floor was removed,” said Skimina, a Certified Safety Professional and Environmental Trainer. “Air samples were collected and sent to St. Paul Travelers Laboratory for analysis. St. Paul Travelers is an American Industrial Hygiene accredited laboratory.”

Other measures have been taken by the School, including raising the temperature on the seventh and eighth floors to try to expedite the chemical’s evaporation process and improvements to the ventilation system in the Sharp building.

According to an email sent by Arthur Jackson on April 7, “In an effort to purge the chemical odor from the seventh and eighth floors of the Sharp Building, we are undertaking extraordinary measures over the coming weekend. It will be necessary to raise the temperature on these floors to in excess of 80 degrees beginning 7 p.m. this evening, April 7, and continuing until 12 a.m. on Sunday. Therefore, the floors will be QUARANTINED to all personnel....”

In addition to raising the heat on floors where the chemical was used—which will only correct the problem if the building’s air handling systems are working properly—the ventilation system is undergoing improvements. According to an email sent April 12 by Meredith Mack of SAIC’s Design and Construction Department, “The Sharp building is currently undergoing significant improvements to the building air handling systems, including replacement of the rooftop cooling tower equipment and air handling units on the seventh and eighth floors.”

The Attack! 2000 investigation has been conducted by SAIC officials, without outside intervention. When asked to comment, a representative of ATC, the contracting company who caused the accident, said, “Per our agreement with the Art Institute, I cannot talk to you.” The manufacturer of Attack! 2000—Quest Environmental & Safety Products—also refused to comment on how the product should be cleaned up.

May 2006