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Summer 2006

Oakrise Sick Building Syndrome

Workers at Oakrise in Launceston have temporarily moved out of their building while work is completed to rectify problems that were causing persistent illnesses amongst those who worked in the building.

Oakrise staff provide child and adolescent mental health services to the north of the state and are employed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

In 2003, staff began to suspect that the array of upper respiratory problems experienced by those working for Oakrise might be connected to the building. Many workers were experiencing worsening asthma, allergies and recurrent sickness and contractors who visited the building were also noticeably effected.

Leanne Sanderson, who works as a social worker at Oakrise, explains, "For me it started off with like a head cold, then nose bleeds and headaches, then I ended up with a major infection throughout my whole sinuses."

Workers observed that their health problems went away when they went on leave or were away from work. Simone Groves, who is a part-time administration officer at Oakrise, noticed that, "I only had the headaches and nose bleeds following the days I worked at Oakrise."

The issue was raised with management who assured workers that the situation would be rectified, but their attempts to fix the problem seemed piecemeal and ineffective.

In November 2005, air quality testing was carried out and high levels air borne spores that grew into a mould-like substance were found in the building.

By May this year, workers were fed up with the lack of real action from management and made it clear that they would involve the union in the issue and that workers compensation claims would be made if the problem was not effectively dealt with.

HACSU became involved in mid-July, working with a core group of members who were prepared to take action if management did not act, and within a fortnight management had given a commitment to move staff out of the building.

Organiser Paul Burford maintains that the turning point of the dispute was when the members started to organise themselves as a group and act collectively.

Oakrise staff are now located in the McKenzie Building, where they are temporarily located with the Area Management Unit while the Oakrise building undergoes building work to remove and replace the ceiling. The temporary relocation is expected to last approximately three months.