DHS office in Battle Creek shut again, workers complaining of health issues

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Questions of air quality have shut down part of the Toeller building in Battle Creek once again.

Workers at the Department of Human Services, inside the Toeller building, are saying that something is making them sick. The office has been closed frequently because of the problems, and on Wednesday, it closed again.

The offices actually reopened Wednesday after being closed for most of the previous three business days, but Newschannel 3 was on the phone with an employee there as they were walking out of the building at 3:45 pm, when the office was closed until further notice.

DHS clients have once again found the office closed, and frustration is mounting. The offices first closed in August, first for one day, then three as workers complained that something in the office was making them sick.

“We've had the air tested three times by three different air testing companies,” said Calhoun County Administrator Kelli Scott, “and the results have all come back as safe.”

Scott says the issues seem to be isolated on the second floor where DHS is. None of the county departments in the building are experiencing problems. Scott says they've thoroughly cleaned the duct-work, but workers are still coming in and finding debris on their desks.

“They are still trying to identify why any dust continues to be shaken with duct-work,” said Scott.

The county owns the building and leases it to DHS. They have cleaned the areas, and put in new air filters.

Teresa Garcia-Blom, a UAW representative, feels DHS wasn't doing enough and should have removed workers after the first complaints.

“How can they fix something if they don't know what the problem is,” said Garcia-Blom. “The employer, DHS, fixated on air quality, but clearly there are contaminates there making these employees sick.”

Garcia-Blom said one of their reps found dead birds and dirt in an inspection in September, and that dirt had mold in it. Garcia-Blom also says they found fiberglass particles among sand in the vent system.

17 workers have filed formal complaints, saying they have serious health problems.

“Damage to cornea, collapsed lung, high-blood pressure, puss-filled blisters in nose and throat, restricted airway disease,” said Garcia-Blom.

Workers also tell Newschannel 3 that people working in the office have suffered nausea, vomiting, and had nose bleed, including on Wednesday.