How to approach HR about mold problem?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I'm very non-confrontational and am looking for advice on the best way to approach HR about a possible health/safety problem.

Background: I'm very healthy and get a cold-related cough once, maybe twice a year, and am not allergic to pollen. The last time I missed work for health-related reasons was almost five years ago. I've been working at my current workplace for almost two years, and almost since day one, I've had allergy-type symptoms that I suspect are due to mold being present in the building. My co-workers complain sometimes of a "funny smell" (I can't smell anything but often my nose is stuffed up), when it rains sometimes water leaks in through the door, and we're located in the south east United States in a very humid climate. I've looked for physical signs of mold and have found nothing. None of my coworkers have the problems that I have. These problems (running nose, excessive sneezing) clear up when I go home. I don't think my performance is being impacted, nor that of my co-workers, despite their repeated 'Bless you's, more so, I'm slowly going crazy, and I'm worried that the mold might be black mold. Measures taken so far have had no effect: The carpets are cleaned every six months or so, which does not seem to help; we have several DampRid containers (they absorb moisture) in our room. Having spoken with coworkers, they're not aware of any prior mold testing having been performed.

Problem: In your experience, what is the best way to approach HR about these problems? I would like to have my health problems recognized by HR, though they seem to affect only myself and don't impact my work. I would like my workplace to carry out mold testing and (most likely) treatment in the building, which is not inexpensive in our area (professional testing alone is hundreds of dollars). I've thought about buying air testing kits on my own dime, setting them up, and seeing if I can prove there is a problem before discussing it with HR, but I can see this either being interpreted as 'Thanks for taking the initiative on this problem' or 'Why didn't you talk to us first?' Perhaps I'm being overly anxious and creating a problem where there is none, I'm just so tired of sneezing.

manpreet 2 years ago

First of all, see an allergist. You need to make sure what's going on. Remember, your health is most important.

Why would you approach HR at all? They have limited authority to handle anything beyond reporting it to someone else in the office.

You talk repeatedly about your coworkers but never about management. I'd start running it up the chain of command. Talk to your immediate supervisor and keep going up until you get satisfaction.

Document everything!

Whether you choose to go to HR or up the management ladder, there's a strong potential that there could be blowback on you. Get a journal and start keeping a log. Go back, to the best of your recollection, and record when you started noticing things. Then document everything go forward. If you meet with your boss, write down the day and time and with whom and what was said. Keep doing that.

The reason why that is important is because one way or another, it's going to cost your company money to fix it. Someone very well could decide to just show you the exit and think the problem goes away and then claim that your call to OSHA is just retribution. In other words, you need to have a record before they have the chance to start "making a book" on you.

They very well could be grateful for your diligence and nothing happens to you. I may be paranoid, but it's only paranoia until you find out someone really is against you.

TL;DR

1. See an allergist
2. Document everything to this point
3. Forget HR, they're useless in situations like this.
4. Talk to your immediate supervisor
5. Document every conversation
6. Move up the chain of command, documenting.
7. Call OSHA if all else fails.