Report on Evaluation of the Bennington State Office Building & the Implications of these Findings on

Report on the Evaluation of the Bennington State Office Building & the Implications of these Findings on the Health of Employees November 15, 2007 108 Cherry Street, PO Box 70 Burlington, VT 05402 www.healthvermont.gov Vermont Department of Health Executive Summary In June 2006, the Vermont Department of Health initiated an investigation of health concerns among employees of the Bennington State Office Building. That investigation found higher than expected rates of sarcoidosis, asthma, and asthma-like symptoms. Based on these findings, in October 2006 the Health Department recommended that employees be temporarily relocated while a diagnostic evaluation and remediation of the building occur. Following these recommendations, Turner Building Science and Design, LLC performed an extensive diagnostic evaluation of the building. That evaluation has been completed and the findings, along with recommendations for building remediation, were reported. In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health collected a number of environmental samples for microbial analysis. Although the sampling has been completed, not all of the test results are available at this time because some microbial agents require a prolonged period of time to grow. Because we have received and reviewed the majority of the test results, understand the source of the contamination and what remediation is required, we believe the few remaining test results will not ...