The Cornett Building Safety Committee and the Facilities Management and Occupational Health and Safety departments, together with outside agencies, have completed the first stage of an extensive review of concerns expressed by some Economics Department employees that their illnesses may be linked to environmental conditions in the Cornett.
A variety of tests were carried out in the offices of the Political Science Department and the recently vacated general office and five private offices of the Department of Economics. Questions about potentially hazardous materials were also addressed by the team.
Electromagnetic field tests were consistently low, with readings approximately 1000 times less than international exposure guidelines. Tests conducted on drinking water found samples to be typical of drinking water found in the Capital Region and posed no health concern. The Ministry of Health's Radiation Protection Branch reviewed the results of the electromagnetic field tests conducted by Occupational Health and Safety. The water quality tests were done by Capital Health Region staff.
While some asbestos materials are present in the Cornett Building they are in a form and in a place that does not pose a health risk, such as the mechanical insulation products in the basement mechanical room areas which have been encapsulated with inert coverings.
To the best of anyone's knowledge, no urea-formaldehyde insulation or formaldehyde is present in the building. Almost all rooms in the building have 100 per cent external air supply and the supply air is not re-circulated. No insecticides or lawn herbicides have been used anywhere near the building, with only minuscule amount of "Round-up" used around tree bases and paving cracks in the past year.
A meeting was held July 4 to review the findings with Cornett Building staff and officials from the Capital Health Region and the Health Ministry. Another meeting will be held in the fall for staff members who were unable to attend the briefing.