Anonymous Tip Warns of Mold

Recently, The Insider received an anonymous tip about an issue that’s been plaguing different buildings on campus.

In the letter, the writer explained both a mold problem that occurs routinely during warmer months, and a specific musty sewage smell.

They said that it had been reported in the past, and crews sent by the university’s Director of Facilities, Joe Bleehash had teams come and taken samples to have it tested as well as cleaned.

The results from the sample showed it not to be mold but what it was hasn’t been released to the students.

Bleehash was contacted for an interview about the situation, but cancelled due to scheduling problems.

As students and staff, you have the right to know what you are being exposed to.

Of course, mold isn’t always a problem, Dan Flannigan, a senior health and safety specialist for Port Authority and a former health inspector for Allegheny County, answered some questions about the issues at hand.

“Just cause it’s there doesn’t mean it’s a problem,” Flannigan said to me in an interview.

When asked if exposure to mold in your living space can pose any health risks he said this, “It exacerbates asthma, it could exacerbate your existing illnesses,” so it isn’t inherently bad for you to be exposed to.

Since there are no actual regulations on mold and only guidelines, it is hard to say what can and should be done to fix this.

But when you do have a mold problem, it is usually moisture related.

There are lots of reasons why mold could possibly be growing indoors on campus, such as leaking, poor insulation, poor structure, or even flooding.

If the kind of mold you are finding inside is associated with wet environments, then you know you have a real problem.

But, since it is unknown what the results Bleehash got back were, it is safe to say for now remain cautious of any mold in your buildings but don’t freak out about it unless it is causing you to have worsened health problems.