I've heard reports of some students and staff becoming ill and/or having minor respiratory symptoms at CHS this past week. It appears this is related to indoor air quality issues which CHS has seen before in recent years. The problem seems to be focused on the pipe tunnels located under the northeast portion of the school (the original building). A few years ago the openings from the pipe tunnel to the building above were sealed to reduce air incursion into the classrooms above. The remedy may require assuring those seals are still sound, but also creating a negative air pressure in the tunnels so air is vented to the outside of the building rather than into the building.
A statement and action plan were communicated from the administration to students, parents and staff this week. I copied the announcement and action plan below:
"In recent weeks, staff at Cheshire High School has been reporting a variety of symptoms including headaches and respiratory issues with an apparent concentration in certain classrooms in the northeast section of the building. In order to determine if the symptoms are related to the school building, a specialist was hired to thoroughly inspect the building and evaluate the indoor air quality at the school. Results of the preliminary assessment have identified some moisture incursion in the utility tunnels under the north wing. An action plan has been developed which includes several immediate corrective measures that are already under way which our specialist believes will solve the problem. In addition, the District will work with an engineering firm to provide guidance on the cause and the potential solutions of the moisture incursion.
We will be providing updates on the corrective action steps completed on the Cheshire High School website as well as through PowerSchool. Any concerns or questions should be directed to Mr. Kevin Ryan, the Principal of Cheshire High."
CHS Air Quality Action Plan
No comments:
Post a Comment