CEDARBRIDGE Academy is infested with cockroaches and other vermin to such a degree that it represents a health hazard to students, according to a damning report.

The document also slams "misguided" maintenance procedures at the school and catalogues a number of other sick-building issues which have failed to be addressed by health officials.

And it suggests that Government and consultants are clueless as to whether the building is now safe for occupancy, as there is "no basis for determining acceptable levels" of potentially fatal mould spores.

Architectural technology consultant S. Harris and Co. was drafted in by Government after a potentially fatal mould spore was identified as the possible cause of health issues at the senior school last summer. The school was forced to shut down for three months in November in order for air quality engineers to clean the facility.

But according to the Philadelphia-based consultancy's report, health problems among staff and students could have been caused by the cockroach infestation.

The report, which was submitted to the Ministry of Education and subsequently leaked to the Mid-Ocean News, states: "The insect infestation at CBA is an out-of-control, recurring problem. Current insufficient housekeeping at CBA presents a health hazard to the faculty and students. Cockroaches are a health hazard to many children and adults because of the risks cockroach antigens pose to asthma sufferers.

"The consumption of food and beverages has not been exclusively limited to the cafeteria and faculty lounges. Faculty and students at CBA have been accustomed to bringing food and beverages into any and all areas of the building. A 'wellness period' is implemented throughout the day where the faculty and students openly consume food at their leisure. Vending machines are easily accessible inside the building and along the open air courtyards.

"The crumbs and sugar left behind from the food and beverages attract cockroaches and many other undesirable insects and vermin. It is difficult for housekeeping to keep up with the amount of food and beverages that are consumed throughout the facility. Limiting the areas of food consumption would greatly reduce the required housekeeping force.

"Moisture from leaky roofs, plumbing fixtures, food spills, damp areas in kitchens and bathrooms and other sources should be minimised, along with access to food, the accumulation of trash and holes and cracks in walls. Safe and effective pest management techniques must be utilised, as some chemicals are toxic and may exacerbate asthma symptoms."

The report states that the cockroach infestation "became abundant throughout the building" from about 2003 and that the issue had still not been addressed when the company submitted its findings in February of this year.

The report claims that, because of a poorly designed air conditioning system, the school began to show signs of "building degradation" from around 2001.

"The first reported cases of alleged respiratory difficulties were in 2003. These cases were managed in ways other than by addressing the environmental conditions of the facility," the report states.

"From 2003/2004 to 2006, conditions continued to degrade at an alarmingly accelerated rate. Interior materials began to approach saturation point. Mould colonies of visible proportions were constantly reported. Also, the cockroach infestation became abundant throughout the building.

"At this time the building was perceived to be 'stuffy'. In order to decrease this perceived feeling, windows and doors that were normally closed, were opened to allow for air ventilation. These changes in operation caused windows and doors to swell and shrink in their frames. At the same time, systems were pushing a considerably increased amount of untreated outside air and the roof and walls began admitting increasing quantities of bulk water. Reports of respiratory difficulties continued to accumulate at increasing rates and with increasing vehemence."

The report notes that in the summer of 2006, a Houston-based company, Microbiology Specialists Inc., was brought in by Government to assess the school.

"MSI wrote to local firm Total Environmental Solutions Ltd. confirming that potentially deadly aspergillus spores had been found in samples at the school and suggesting that 'urgent risk management' might be required," the report says.

"In the fall of 2006, the situation reached crisis proportions, notably after the building came out of a period of relative disuse and systems reduction during the dormant summer months of the academic year. Complaints from the faculty continued to be made to administration.

"On 30 October of 2006, a meeting was held at the school to inform the staff that the mould problem was being worked on and that about 20 affected classrooms had been isolated. On the first of November, CBA was pronounced to be in a state of systematic failure and the facility was closed."

According to the report, the clean-up operation was carried out by Bermuda Water Consultants while Total Environmental Systems, was hired to carry out structural repairs to the roof, windows and walls.

Referring to the $4-million clean-up operation, the report noted that "no co-ordination of contractors and their specific crews was established, making it very difficult to monitor and report activities".

And it also cited a Ministry of Works & Engineering report, stating: "The MWE report stated that there were no specific details or recorded levels of contamination as well as no indication of what the levels should be when the building is found to be in good order and condition. As such, it would seem impossible to measure 'before and after' conditions to show the adherence to what are perceived to be appropriate levels.

"The MWE report stated that no written agreement and no documentation confirming the abatement work was submitted and therefore there was no basis for determining acceptable levels. Finally, no coordination of contractors and their specific crews was established, making it very difficult to monitor and report activities. Furthermore, the MWE report found the emergency mitigation was performed in an unorganised, unaccountable fashion.

"During the intervention process, work was carried out by several contractors with an undefined or unknown scope of work. The level of standards was not understood by the contractors providing the abatement services. Therefore, there was no way to measure tangible improvements at the completion of their services."

Education Minister Randy Horton reopened the school at the end of January, saying that test results had shown the building to be safe for occupancy.

But teachers and students have continued to suffer illness thought to be caused by the environment.

And in March Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Mike Charles accused Government of failing to inform teachers of the exact results of air quality tests.

Referring to maintenance standards at the school, the report says: "In terms of maintaining the mechanical units, the delivery of chilled water was impeded by increasingly clogged traps, causing the air quality to degrade due to increasingly clogged filters. While some traps and filters may have been serviced, the evidence unveiled during the abatement period conveyed this to be sporadic and inconsistent.

"Even under ideal circumstances, it would be very difficult to provide proper maintenance for the mechanical systems. Without a direct operational concept for the building, it is difficult to implement procedural maintenance. Without this knowledge, the operational managers have little appreciation or awareness of the facility's capabilities and limitations."

The school's maintenance manager quit his post earlier this year for another position in the private sector. It is not know if he has since been replaced.

The report concludes by recommending a number of measures that could be introduced to stop mould returning. Suggestions include replacing air conditioning units, sealing the roof and replacing walls with a pressure equalised system which "will be expensive and may affect the architectural appearance of the building".

S. Harris and Co. planned to complete another report outlining an operations and maintenance plan. However, the Mid-Ocean News understands that its contract with Government was terminated before further work could be submitted.

Yesterday, this newspaper e-mailed questions to Government in relation to the report. We asked if students and teachers were still becoming ill, why vermin infestation had been allowed to develop over a number of years, if any of the consultancy's recommendations had been taken up and why it had had its contract terminated.

No response was received by press time last night. A representative from S. Harris and Co. refused to comment.