In this case, the factors were shown as well within acceptable norms found in buildings without problems. Boston, Mass. - DMV April 1994. The Department of Motor Vehicles in Boston moved from an old drafty building to a new high rise building. Within six months, over 50 percent of employees had health complaints and some were beginning to have the kind of respirational asthma problems usually found in chemicals factories. The complaints were remarkably consistent across the building and from employee to employee.
Many employees quit, causing additional concerns on the part of management.
Investigations were initiated. At one point, high latex levels forced the shutdown of a floor. The problem was traced to the design of the air handling system which used the space above the ceiling tiles as a plenum, rather than relying on the more traditional ductwork. The ceiling tiles were very cheap, made of perlite, cellulose, and other materials glued together with a cheap starch based glue. A second factor was the fireproofing used in this area.