Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series detailing concerns surrounding the Studio Arts Building.
Although University art students are concerned about health and safety risks in the Studio Arts Building, Facility Services and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety insist the building is not dangerous.
Using home test kits, students have identified lead and asbestos in the building. They are worried about the effects of those substances on their health.
Lead paint and asbestos-based materials are common in older buildings on campus. Michael Hooks, assistant director of EHS, said while the lead paint in the Studio Arts Building is in poor condition, it has not deteriorated to the point of creating dust that people could ingest.
“You would have to be doing some kind of active work to make this a problem, like sandblasting, scraping, sanding of the lead-based paint to get enough in the air to create dust that would be of a hazardous nature to building occupants or workers,” Hooks said. “Just some flaky paint here or there, while it’s unfortunate that we have that, it shouldn’t present a hazard to the occupants.”
Lead and asbestos abatement ahead of renovation is not likely, Hooks said, because it is an expensive process during which the facility could not be occupied. It also would not be cost-effective for a building already due for renovation.
Tom Walsh, EHS industrial hygiene health and safety officer, said the OSHA-approved level of lead in the air is 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air. He pointed out that lead is an element of nature found in even the cleanest air outside.
“I don’t see that lead exposure at this level would be a long-term risk,” Walsh said. “You look at acute and long-term. The acute risk we know is not there. The long-term risk … comes into play with the variations of their life.”
Students also worry about safety hazards like exposed wiring and loose wood bricks in the floor. But no one has reported those issues in the past six months, according to a list of work orders provided by Facility Services.
“Anything that’s an immediate danger is handled immediately,” said Dave Maharrey, executive associate director of Facility Services. “Some things that are deficiencies are not necessarily danger.”
The building has passed inspections by the state fire marshal’s office, meaning it is officially considered safe to occupy. Still, if anyone has concerns, Maharrey said they should notify Facility Services.
Roger Husser, Facility Services director of planning, design and construction, said while the building may be safe, renovation remains critical.
“The building needs a lot of work,” Husser said. “It’s in poor condition. It’s very difficult for Facility Services to continue to try to maintain it in its current condition, so we’re desperately awaiting the renovation funds from the state.”
A complete renovation would take 18 to 24 months and would be done in two phases so half of the building could be occupied while the other is renovated. Husser said the state provided funds to complete renovation plans a couple of years ago, but they cannot be implemented until the state legislature appropriates the $15 million needed for renovation in its capital outlay budget.
The building, which was constructed in 1924 and originally housed engineering shops, has never received a complete renovation. The systems in the building are “old and decrepit,” Husser said.
When the ceramics studio ceiling collapsed in November, Facility Services had to make unplanned repairs. Asbestos must be monitored to make sure it remains in a safe condition. The building’s aging heating ventilation and air conditioning equipment requires servicing more often than newer equipment.
“It’s certainly not cost-effective,” Husser said. “Not only would the appropriate funding from the state result in a more appropriate space for studio arts, but it would also reduce our annual expenditures for maintenance.”
“It’s very difficult for Facility Services to continue to try to maintain it in its current condition, so we’re desperately awaiting the renovation funds from the state.”