Hilton mold survey: no long-term effects

By Frank Cho
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Hilton Hawaiian Village said yesterday that a health survey of employees has found it is "doubtful" that mold found in its Kalia Tower caused any long-term health or allergic respiratory problems in workers or guests, despite some reporting irritation of their skin, eyes, noses and throats.

"There have been probably people with eye, nose and throat irritation related to Kalia building exposure. But there is no evidence at this point that there has been newly acquired allergic respiratory disease among the employees at Hilton," said Dr. Joseph Jarvis, an associate professor at the University of Nevada School of Medicine who was hired by Hilton to do the survey.

The survey of 242 Hilton employees did not include medical examinations or clinical tests.

Jason Ward, a spokesman for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Workers, AFL-CIO, Local 5, which represents many of the workers involved, said the union was critical of the report.

Ward said Jarvis had produced no written report for outside experts to judge his methodology; Team Clean, a subcontractor whose employees are represented by the union, was exposed to the mold but not included in the study; and Hilton has not released the names of the people who participated in the survey, so the union cannot ensure that the survey represents a true cross-section or workers.

The union has been in contract talks with Hilton and several other Waikiki hotels since April. Earlier this week, its members voted to authorize a strike, but Ward said yesterday that the union views the mold problem as a health and safety issue, not a bargaining issue.

Jarvis said some may not understand the limitations of such a study.

"I don't design the study myself," Jarvis said. "In other words, I don't hand-pick the people. They exist in the real world and are working real jobs. I am only able to observe them. I didn't intend to upset anyone. Every time I do a study like this, something upsets the local populace in a way I had not anticipated."

Hilton said it does not plan to conduct any more surveys or medical tests for employees.

The 453-room Kalia Tower was closed last month after employees discovered mold and began to report problems such as skin irritation. About 14 Hilton employees reported symptoms related to the mold: 10 reported eye, nose and throat irritation; two workers reported aggravation of an existing asthma condition; and two reported skin rashes.

"Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat which are commonly associated with mold exposure. This is almost a universal phenomena where there is enough mold," Jarvis said. "The other problem, which is less common, but I looked hard for is allergic respiratory disease because it represents a more serious and potential long-term health effect."

Among the findings Jarvis reported to Hilton:

• The risk of allergic respiratory illness among Kalia Tower guests would be small, if such risk exists at all.

• There has been no health effect from mold found in the hotel's Lagoon Tower.

Jarvis said his survey does not take the place of a clinical examination and recommended employees see a doctor if they begin to show symptoms of exposure to the mold.

Peter Schall, senior vice president and managing director of the hotel, said the study proved that there there no long-term health effects of the mold and no further tests or studies on workers are planned.

"We are pleased there have been comparatively few instances of adverse health effects and that each of those individuals has a favorable prognosis," Schall said. "If people are feeling sick, they should go to their doctor."

Tests conducted last month to measure the air quality inside the Kalia Tower have not been released by the hotel, and according to hotel officials, will not likely be released any time soon.

Schall said the hotel had still not identified the source of the mold, which is projected to cost about $10 million to clean up, according to company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hilton's estimate did not include lost business while the Kalia Tower is closed.

Schall said a number of former guests have contacted the hotel about the mold problem and a few of them have reported health problems.

"We did not think that it was necessary at this time (to contact former guests)," Schall said. "Some individuals have indicated some symptoms, a very small number of people."

Clean up of the mold will not likely start for weeks or maybe months as experts try to identify the source.

"In terms of the remediation effort," Schall said, "we have retained the best experts in this field to conduct tests to determine the cause and extent of this situation."

Reach Frank Cho at 525-8088 or at fcho@honoluluadvertiser.com.