By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterOPERATIONS ARE at a halt at the Family Court in Kingston as scores of probation officers, counsellors, clerks and other court employees continued their 'sit in' to protest working conditions which, they said, were making them literally and figuratively sick.
The 'sit in' affected the court, which put off 27 cases on Tuesday, leaving scores of persons waiting. The protest continued yesterday, curtailing hearings in another 15-20 matters, The Gleaner was told.
"We are protesting the high concentration of asbestos and carbon dioxide. In addition, the air condition is not working," said an employee. Asbestos is a fibrous material, which researchers have linked to asbestosis and cancer of the lungs.
A tour of the building revealed several sections which are in need of repair.
"Everybody to some extent has been made sick. You may have runny noses or headaches," one employee said.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS
The workers complain that some employees already have sinus problems, itching, nausea and other medical conditions which have developed since they came to the Family Court or have worsened because of poor air quality, which often leads to strong odours in some bathrooms and other areas, at their work place.
The employees showed The Gleaner a study on the building's poor air quality, which they said was done by the Ministry of Health and submitted to the officials in October 2002.
It showed the carbon dioxide levels were above what they should be and that evidence of the carbon dioxide and other readings showed the air handling units are inefficient.
It said the lack of proper circulation was being made worse by the numbers of persons who use the court.
Family court administrators refused to talk or referred The Gleaner to the Justice Ministry but no comments were available from that source.
The study recommended that the Ministry of Justice, under which the court falls, implements appropriate engineering solutions to the ventilation system to increase the supply of fresh air to meet recommended guidelines, clear filters, repair exhausts, clean ducts and revamp the current ventilation system and to conduct on-going monitoring and evaluation of any new system to ensure it meets health standards.
