Concerns about chemicals inside a New Mexico Highlands University science building have heightened following news of the death of a custodian who worked at the facility.Kathy Jenkins, president of the NMHU Faculty Association and professor of exercise physiology at the university, said in an interview with The Optic on Sept. 21 that the custodian, Martin Lujan, worked at Ivan Hilton Science and Technology Building.Ivan Hilton was closed by the city of Las Vegas on Sept. 3 after campus police responded to an initial report of a chemical spill at the building. According to a press release provided by the university on Tuesday, Ivan Hilton was closed on Sept. 3 “as a result of issues with the storage and maintenance of chemicals … and it currently remains closed.”Lujan passed away on Sept. 14.
Sounds like the chemicals initially involved may have included some biology fixatives (Carosafe, which is mostly propylene glycol and other organic compounds.)
...Assistant Professor Michael Remke, who teaches courses in forestry and natural resources, said he became ill after working at Ivan Hilton.
“I was going home sick with headaches, with respiratory distress and irritation after smelling fumes while sitting and working in my office,” Remke said on Sept. 19. He said that on Aug. 12 he made a complaint with human resources, filed a formal worker’s compensation claim and filed a claim with the school’s Environmental Health and Safety Office about the symptoms he was having.
Remke said his complaints were not addressed directly; however, a cold room at Ivan Hilton was taped off.
This cold room – a type of walk-in refrigerator on Ivan Hilton’s first floor – was being used to store chemicals, Remke said. He said it is not typical to store chemicals in a cold room and that such a space is more often used to store specimens and samples.
“I’m suspicious that … some of those chemicals were leaking, they were fuming, and the result was, as the cold room broke and heated up the fumes got really bad,” he said. “The fumes were seeping out of that environment (and) into the hallway on the first floor where they were impacting me in my office.”
Jenkins said she has received a list of chemicals that were found at Ivan Hilton. In an email to officials with AFT New Mexico, a union representing educators, as well as officials with National Education Association New Mexico, Jenkins said some of these chemicals include nitrobenzene, picric acid, radioactive thorium, cyanide and uncontained mercury.
I'm curious which chemicals were in the cold room. It sounds like Ivan Hilton had some chemical storage issues (which is probably true of 30% of American university science buildings.) My condolences to the family of Mr. Lujan.
If you breathe fumes enough to give you respiratory distress that spill, whatever it was, must have been serious. One wonders why all complaints were ignored (there must have been complaints) and why no one dared to speak out. Doesn't look good for the administration.
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