More than six months after the Sandels Buildingclosed in responseto a faculty report that linked it to a possible cancer cluster, Florida State University continues its mission to test everybuilding on campus for radon.
Between February and Aug.12,more than 800 samples from 59 FSU buildings have been tested for radon, FSU spokesperson Amy Farnum-Patronis wrote in a prepared statement to the Democrat.
About 90% of sample results have been less than the action level recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"The university is proactively conducting radon testing of its buildings as part of its ongoing commitment to campus health and safety," Farnum-Patronis said."This is an ongoing, time-consuming process. However, for all remaining untested buildings, the university is committed to continuing radon testingand will mitigate as needed."
The university has spent$1.25 million to remediate and mitigate issues related to theSandelsBuilding andanother $3millionof work is planned for renovations and upgrades, Farnum-Patronis said.
The sweeping testsof on-campus buildings for radon and mold began shortlyafter a 129-page faculty report in late January laid out yearslong concerns of radon and mold levels in the Sandels Building, 675 W. Call St. The report also highlight eight cancer cases involving those who worked in the building. Three of those cases were fatal.
Previous coverage
- Preliminary findings: 'Elevated levels of radon' found in Florida State's Sandels Building
- 'We're scared': Current, former Florida State employees, students scramble after Sandels faculty report
- Florida State probes air quality concerns in another building; some faculty shift to remote classes
- After faculty point to 3 cancer deaths, FSU closes building with reported black mold, radon
The most recent radon test in the Sandels Buildingshows a large decrease of the harmful gas that's thesecond leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.followingmonths of construction and mitigation efforts.
The university had previously contracted two radon tests this year,beginning in late January. The next radon evaluation occurred inFebruary;and both tests recorded levels as high as 7 pCi/L, or PicoCuriesper liter of air.
TheEnvironmental Protection Agency's radon exposure limit inresidential settings is4pCi/L and 100 pCi/Lin workplaces. Additionally, lung cancer risk rises 16% per 2.7 pCi/L increase in radon exposure,says the Radon Information Center.
The most recent results—which werereleased Aug. 12—recorded the maximum radon level throughout the building's four floors and basem*nt at1.1 pCi/L.
"...further investigation or other action regarding radon at Sandels is not deemed necessary at this time," read a letter from the most recent independent contractor hired to test radon throughout Sandels.
Sandels to undergo 'heavy-duty cleaning,' some renovation
Meanwhile, construction on the building will continue for the foreseeable future.
"While there has been a tremendous amount of progress on this project over the past several months, not all work is finalized," FSU Provost Jim Clark wrotein an Aug. 12postto sandelsresponse.fsu.edu, a website created entirely to track the university's efforts to fix the problems in the building.
Among the upcoming clean-up tasksis "a heavy-duty cleaning of the building" on Monday; carpet replacements for multiple floors; installation of new fourth-floor fume hoods;new free-standing bookcases; and a new roof and windows among many other scheduled projects.
"We continue to receive requests from building occupants regarding different projects, and supply chain issues have caused unforeseen delays," wrote Clark in the most recent progress report.
As the new semester begins, graduate students and professors have the option to choose whether to return to their offices, labs and classrooms in the building.
If an individual instructor chooses not to hold their classes in Sandels, the Registrar has proactively assigned alternate meeting locations in other buildings, wrote Farnum-Patronis in a statement.
"As President McCullough and I have repeatedly stated, the health and safety of the campus community continues to be the university’s top priority," Provost Clark said in a Sandels response update."We hope that by allowing individuals the ability to determine when to repopulate the building, they have the opportunity to make the best choice for themselves and their students."
Other facilities:Williams andSchool of Music buildings
In May, a limited number of areas within Broward Hall, Gilchrist Hall, KuersteinerMusic Building, Landis Hall, Longmire Building and Wildwood Hall tested above the EPA-recommended action level for radon, Farnum-Patronis wrote.
The university beganmitigation measures for these buildings over the summer. Since then, "all buildings retested below the EPA-recommended levels in July or August and do not represent a health concern."
University administration, according to Farnum-Patronis, worked directly with leadership like deans, vice presidentsof each building, who notified staff and faculty of the affected spaces in need of work.
Faculty and staffwere relocated andgiven the option to work remotely while mitigation measures were completed, Farnum-Patronis said. University officials also held several face-to-face and Zoom meetings to answer individuals’ questions regarding their spaces.
Florida State's Williams Buildingwas alsoevaluated for radon after concerns were raised by faculty.
Cleaning of the entire building's heating, ventilation,air conditioning (HVAC) and duct system, which began in mid-February, has beencompleted. And all classrooms and offices have met clearance criteria andclasses will be held in the building in the fall semester that started Monday, Farnum-Patronis said.
Help for former and current staff who worked in Sandels
Since news broke about the Sandels Building,current and former faculty and staff who worked there havecalled for multi-pronged assistance from the university including a pension fund and payment for a medical check-up.
Support,according to Farnum-Patronis,has been provided to current and former faculty and graduate studentsin the form of technical, scientific and medical experts engaged by FSU.
FSU employees recently working or teaching in the Sandels Building were offered by the university"an opportunity to consult with a licensed physician who is a leading expert in the field of occupational exposures," Farnum-Patrnois wrote.
Additionally, individual meetings to discuss specific questions and concerns were conducted with those faculty and staff memberswho requested them.
Contact Christopher Cann at ccann@tallahassee.com and follow @ChrisCannFL on Twitter.
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