Office conditions not safe, employee say

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating allegations of unsafe working conditions for more than 30 employees in a new U.S. Department of Agriculture office at 105 Corporate Drive.

An employee working at the location complained that staffers are able to use only one bathroom in the lobby because the others lack stalls, locks and tiling. According to the complaint, the elevator shaft was open and a small flood occurred.

The employee also reported that the area was cluttered with ladders, tools, electric cables, drywall and dust, as contractors continued to work on renovations.

"To sum it up, it's a mess," the employee wrote.

The employee also said it's difficult to conduct business as contractors come and go and that conditions have not improved.

The employee who filed the complaint asked The State Journal not to be identified out of fear of retaliation. The employee said OSHA would keep the author of the complaint confidential.

Approximately 16 or 17 employees moved from previous offices on Comanche Trail to the new two-story office on Corporate Drive almost two weeks ago.

The office includes veterinary service workers and a laboratory. There is a total of about 33 employees assigned to the office, including about 16 or 17 field workers.

According to the OSHA complaint, employees started moving into the new offices on April 11.
William Cochran, area direcor for OSHA, said his office has received the complaint and will conduct an investigation. It has six months to complete it.

Karen Eggert, a USDA spokeswoman, said the employees were relocated because the office was growing and the staff needed more space. She said renovations on the second floor could be complete in 10 days.

Employees are on the first floor because that's the only portion that has been approved for a certificate of occupancy, Eggert said. She said there are no employees on the second floor because a certificate hasn't been issued.

"We wouldn't have moved in without those," Eggert said.

However, Jim Carroll, spokesman for the Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, said no occupancy certificates have been issued for any part of the project. The Office of Housing, Building and Construction in the EPPC Cabinet is responsible for issuing a certificate of occupancy.

According to Section 104 of the Kentucky Building Code, the state has jurisdiction over commercial projects larger than 10,000 square feet and with a capacity of more than 100 employees.
Several issues remain unresolved, but Carroll said the final inspection could be approved soon if everything is in order.

Carroll said the inspectors had discussed moving in equipment and furniture but not any employees.
He said he didn't want to speculate on if any violations or fines could be issued.

Eggert said she could not explain why the state had no record of a partial occupancy certificate being issued. She said a number of important staff are attending a conference in Tennessee and not immediately available.

The Franklin County Planning Director Robert Hewitt said his department is responsible for inspecting the electrical systems at 105 Corporate Drive but had not yet issued a permit. He said the fire alarm system and elevator inspections have not been approved yet.