Bldg. 3001 at Tinker remains open for business

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, UNITED STATES

01.22.2020

Story by Nevardo Cayemitte 

72nd Air Base Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Late last year, mold was discovered in a number of office areas in Bldg. 3001. Upon the discovery, alternate duty locations for those directly affected were immediately arranged.

Tinker leadership reassigned almost 13% of the facility’s employees to other office areas or allowed them to telework while the affected areas were professionally cleaned. That cleaning progressed ahead of schedule and all employees have returned to their primary duty locations. The nearly mile-long building remained open and fully operational during remediation effort.

Quality Assurance Specialist Tanylle Casper, 72nd Air Base Wing mold removal program specialist, provided updates on maintenance and steps being taken by Civil Engineering Surveillance to address both the root cause for mold growth in Bldg. 3001 and the cleaning initiative.

Casper said each phase of the mold cleaning initiative was bid and awarded to contractors that specialize in mold removal. Phase 1 started in mid-October and Phase 4 ended in mid-December.

“All horizontal and vertical surfaces from the ceiling to the floor were cleaned with antimicrobial cleaners and HEPA-vacuumed to remove any visible mold and help prevent future mold growth,” Casper said.

Root causes

Base CE officials said high humidity indicates high levels of moisture in the air. High humidity in an air conditioned space will cause the moisture in the air to condense on pipes, walls, ceiling vents and furniture creating an environment for mold growth.

Water leaks can occur through attrition of the HVAC, the roof, pipes or windows/doors that do not close properly. According to CE, the HVAC project is under solicitation and will be completed before summer of 2021.

Bldg. 3001 also received mold fumigation in addition to mold cleaning. Fumigation is a method of mold control that completely fills an area with gas fumigants to change the chemical make-up of the mold, turning it into microscopic table salt. This method cleans the structure itself, affecting mold that inhabits the walls, cubicles or inside fabric furniture.

Casper said proper facility maintenance is imperative to combat moisture. “CE wants every facility to be well maintained, safe, functional, and to promote a healthy work environment” she said.

Steps in the right direction

CE has approved an HVAC project to address high humidity levels by adding a second chilled water line, running the length of the facility, to help cool the outside air to a lower temperature, removing more water from the air, as well as reheating capability for better dehumidification, and all of the duct work in the areas will be inspected and cleaned as needed.

Anyone can report suspected mold or maintenance concerns to a facility manager. The facility manager will call in a work order to the CE Customer Service Hotline at 734-3117. If a work order is for suspected mold, CE will send a technician the same day to evaluate the suspected area. They will determine if mold is present, will look for the root causes and they will open maintenance work orders as needed.

If mold is found, CE will send a vendor to provide an estimate on the extent of the mold and the best industry approved method to remove the mold. Once the vendor receives the notice to proceed with the mold removal, the work will begin within 24 hours or at the user agreed upon start date. If mold is not found, it is the unit’s responsibility to clean the dirty areas.

“Tinker leadership places safety of employees above all,” said Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander. “We encourage all employees to contact 72nd ABW/CE at 405-734-3451 any time they discover mold issues that are not already being addressed. The 72nd ABW/CE Mold Response Team will evaluate the same day.”

• Date Taken: 01.22.2020
• Date Posted: 01.24.2020 08:40
• Story ID: 360068
• Location: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, US