Service Academy Plagued By Mold Making Cadets Sick, Report Finds
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has had a decades-long mold problem that regularly made cadets and employees sick with minimal intervention, a June 10 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report…
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has had a decades-long mold problem that regularly made cadets and employees sick with minimal intervention, a June 10 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report found.
The NIOSH report found that the academy had a persistent mold problem that caused cadets and employees to contract various diseases over the course of at least a decade between 2011 and 2022, Military.com reported Monday. Multiple people at the academy said the mold problem has been well-known for years, and that confidence is low the academy will sufficiently address the problem.
Diseases caused by the mold include systemic inflammatory response syndrome, autoimmune conditions, burning and irritation of eyes, nose and throat, chronic rhinitis, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, light sensitivity, endocrine problems, excessive sweating, short-term memory loss and hearing issues, according to Military.com.
“They will not make meaningful changes, in my opinion,” Susan Bibeau, president of Local 219 of the American Federation of Government Employees represneting around 130 employees at the academy, told Military.com. “Potential hires need to know about the risks, as do the people who work there.”
The Coast Guard Academy is home to around 420 employees and about 1,100 cadets, according to Military.com
The NIOSH was requested to launch an investigation into the issue in 2022 by union representatives and other employees, Military.com reported. The report found that indoor humidity was chronically high in most buildings on the campus, with condensation leaking from vents, pipes and other duct work.
The Coast Guard Academy told the Daily Caller News Foundation