Technology advances such as the Internet of Things and smart buildings get a great deal of attention in many institutional and commercial facilities these days. Still, for many managers, the long-standing challenges of operating facilities safely and efficiently remain top priorities. Indoor air quality is one such challenge, as managers in one Florida County know all too well.
Miami-Dade County has spent more than two million dollars fighting mold issues since 2013 in at least a dozen facilities, including the police headquarters, Miami International Airport and the county’s courthouse, according to NBC Miami.
Pictures taken last May during an inspection conducted by the county’s Risk Management Safety Division show mold on walls, chairs, doors and ceilings at a Miami-Dade County correctional facility known as the Women’s Detention Center. The inspector notes “signs of water intrusion” and “what appears to be mold” in multiple locations at the building.
“I got very sick while working in the building,” says an employee identified as Sabrina. “Sinuses, asthma, allergic reactions, heavy cough, fever. I’ve had a lot of different reactions to the exposure of mold that I have had.”
Records show that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami in 2017 and in June 2018 after “visible mold” was detected in the building.
Dan Hounsell is editor-in-chief of Facility Maintenance Decisions and FacilitiesNet.com.
