CEDARBRIDGE Academy should undergo massive structural renovations in order to avoid further outbreaks of mould contamination, according to a team of experts.And it is understood investigators claimed poor maintenance and the failure of Government to act quickly were primary causes of last year’s infestation, which shut the school down for more than two months.

Philadelphia-based architectural firm S. Harris & Co. was drafted in by Government last November to carry out a full investigation into how the potentially fatal mould spores were allowed to spread throughout the facility.

The company, which carries out forensic and structural analyses of sick buildings, submitted its findings in a detailed report to Government last month.

Although the Mid-Ocean News has not been able to obtain a copy of the report, it is understood investigators compiled a catalogue of causes for the crisis.

A project summary posted on the company’s web site said: “The firm conducted a series of on-site investigations that focused on the exterior envelope of the building.

“The condition of the exterior envelope varies greatly in the severity of flaws throughout the wall and roofing constructions.

“The combination of moisture infiltration and the problems associated with providing adequate cooling to the interior environment has led to severe damage. The biggest concern is the mould remediation and addressing the causes for mould growth.

“Another concern was the inadequacy of the mechanical system, mainly that it provides relatively little filtration and virtually no desiccation of incoming fresh air. We proposed several alternative long-term solutions to this problem and several ways to save energy.

“In the form of a report, we provided a narrative discussion of our observations and analysis of the conditions. Preliminary recommendations were also provided with improved techniques for sealing the cracks and re-caulking windows as having water, air, and moisture infiltration issues.”

When contacted by the Mid-Ocean News this week, company boss Samuel Harris declined to comment on his company’s findings.

But this newspaper understands that, chief among investigators’ observations were:

[obox] Ground floor classrooms are permanently damp because there is no moisture barrier between the landscaping and exterior walls.

[obox] Water was allowed to penetrate into the building through the roof after it was damaged in Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

[obox] Poorly constructed balconies, along with poor corking around doors and windows, allowed further moisture penetration.

A source close to the inquiry also alleged that recent suggestions by Government that emissions from nearby towers could be the cause of further illness at the school were a “smokescreen” to divert attention away from the mould issue.

The team also pointed out that the site could still be prone to further outbreaks because contaminants remain in the school’s auditorium.

Because the facility’s air conditioning system is interlinked, there is nothing to stop the redistribution of the mould from the auditorium back into the school’s main buildings, they claimed. The air conditioning system was identified as being the main culprit in the spread of the initial outbreak.

And investigators declared that a lack of proper maintenance allowed the mould to spread unchecked while Health and Education chiefs should have taken action sooner in a bid to nip the crisis in the bud.

Investigators concluded that they had little confidence their recommendations would be carried out and as a result, further outbreaks in the future are possible.

Government has so far remained tight-lipped about the report.

Although Permanent Secretary Rosemary Tyrrell confirmed in November that the Philadelphia team was carrying out an investigation, no mention of its findings has been made since.

Instead, Government set up a three-man independent Board of Inquiry to examine how the crisis escalated.

On Wednesday, Education Minister Randy Horton confirmed that, while the findings of that inquiry are being kept under wraps, its recommendations would eventually be released.

The island’s largest public school shut down at the beginning of November after teachers and students complained of respiratory problems. The school remained closed until January while engineers cleaned the premises. It has now been given a clean bill of health, although some staff members are still becoming ill.

But Government’s handling of the crisis has since been questioned after it was revealed that complaints of air quality were first made 18 months earlier.

And last July another team of US specialists recommended that Government spend the summer ridding the complex of harmful mould spores — but that advice was ignored and no action taken.

Yesterday, neither Mr. Horton nor health officials could be contacted to ask if they were following up on the recommendations included in the Harris dossier.

But the Opposition demanded Government reveal the findings of the report — and to act on them.

Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson accused Government of “criminal and reckless behaviour” and demanded to know why the findings had not been made public.

“Government has sent children and teachers into a sick building on two occasions, knowing it was contaminated with mould and bacteria,” she said.

“They knew the school was contaminated in July 2006 and there is evidence they knew as far back as 2004, when teachers first became ill.

“They have commissioned reports on two or more occasions but have consistently ignore those specialist reports that say the school is massively infested with mould and bacteria and fungi that exceed acceptable levels and are considered at sewage level.

“The July 2006 report clearly shows that there were high levels of mould and Government had time to do a proper clean-up of the school. That clean-up was not done to the proper standard but this Government still allowed students back into the school in September 2006.

“This is criminal negligence and teachers and students continue to become sick.

“This current Minister promised a review and a firm from Philadelphia was hired to make a report on the school’s fitness for habitation. Although that report has been received, clearly it has not been acted upon.

“This is reckless behaviour with the health of our children and teachers. It is also the second report that the public has never received any information on.

“We want full disclosure. We cannot have a report that doesn’t see the light of day simply because it doesn’t say what this Government wants it to say at the expense of our students and teachers.”

Slew of problems at CedarBridge