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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Could this be a case of “closed building syndrome”? What are the CO2 levels in the building work areas like? You need to eliminate this possibility first.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Assuming you’ve eliminated “sick building” and other obvious sources of new contamination, none of you are going to like the following suggestion, but it is something with a long history behind it, and well known to most Industrial Hygienists who have worked in the commercial/corporate settings. I’m not aware of any documented cases in museum settings, but there is no <i>a priori</i> reason why this might not be the case.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>You should look closely at the HR environment in the affected area. Have there been HR issues there of late? Has stress increased because of rumored or threatened layoffs, reductions in force, reduced budgets, new policies and procedures with less than enthusiastic reception? A recent change in management?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Richard S. White, Jr.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Director of Museum and Facilities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Safari Club International Foundation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>4800 West Gates Pass Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tucson, AZ 85745<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>520-954-4947<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bentley, Andrew Charles<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 06, 2013 12:01 PM<br><b>To:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br><b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Collection and curatorial staff health issues<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have recently had a spate of health issues specifically related to one area of our building and the staff associated with this area. The symptoms are respiratory (tightening of throat and shortness of breath) and skin related (lesions, rashes etc.) and isolated to this particular area of the building which houses our bird collections, people space and a library. We recently renovated this area which may have disturbed some old underlying issue in this area. Our EHS unit on campus has been through and done the usual mold and VOC testing and results suggest that all levels are below acceptable levels and guidelines. There is no smoking gun as it were and we have initially, tentatively eliminated the above causes. At this point we are stumped and were wondering if any similar symptoms have been found or encountered at any other collection facilities and, more importantly, if anyone has any ideas as to what could be causing this. We would be particularly interested in hearing from any institution that may have tested for these and other potential harmful side effects of collections.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The only other factors that we can potentially point to is that we occasionally get (or used to get) bats and squirrels entering the space and “roosting” in the ceiling spaces of this area of the building. We have also been made aware of a malady called bird breeder’s lung or hypersensitivity pneumonitis (<span style='color:black'><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/mold.html#5">http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/mold.html#5</a></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"\.HelveticaNeueUI";color:black'>) </span><span style='color:black'>and wonder if anyone has had issues with this in collection environments – specifically dry bird collections.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Any help or suggestions would be gladly accepted.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Andy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> A : A : A :<br> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br> V V V<br> Andy Bentley<br> Ichthyology Collection Manager<br> University of Kansas<br>Biodiversity Institute<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> Dyche Hall<br> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard<br> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561<br> USA<br><br>Tel: (785) 864-3863<br>Fax: (785) 864-5335 <br> Email: <a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu">abentley@ku.edu</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/">http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>SPNHC President-Elect<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="http://www.spnhc.org">http://www.spnhc.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-AU style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> : : <br> A : A : A :<br> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br> V V V</span><span lang=EN-AU style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>