The Top 13 Worst Jobs with the Best Pay

These are dirty jobs and somebody has to do them. At least they get paid well for their efforts
Think you have a lousy job? You're not alone. So do about half of your fellow workers—and about a quarter of them are only showing up to collect a paycheck, according to a survey conducted by London-based market information company TNS. Grumbling over the size of that check is common, too. About two-thirds of workers believe they don't get paid enough, says TNS—even though many of them may actually be overpaid, compared to average compensation data

Crime-Scene Cleaner
Average pay: $50,400
If crime-scene cleanup was just wiping blood off the floors—well, that would be easy. But CSI fans with get-rich-quick dreams should note the job involves more than handiness with a mop and a tolerance for the smell of decomposing flesh. Getting rid of bodily fluids typically calls for more rough-and-ready methods, such as ripping up carpet, tile, and baseboards. It also sometimes means working in confined spaces (if someone was electrocuted in an attic, for example). And when tearing up old houses, workers face exposure to hazards such as lead paint and asbestos—not to mention the combustible chemicals involved in drug-lab abatement.

Woman takes dirt out of crime

Mopping up after bloody crime scene investigations is a dirty job, but it's a living

By ABBIE VANSICKLE

TARPON SPRINGS - Laura Spaulding's dream business is the stuff of nightmares.

When she pulls up to a client's home in her red pickup, the big white magnetic signs come down, tucked neatly away.

Who wants the neighbors to see the black block lettering that reads "suicide," "decomposition," and "gross filth"?

Spaulding, 33, a former Kansas City police officer, makes a living cleaning up crime scenes. She sees what no one else wants to. Smells it, too.

A Temple Terrace apartment where a man shot and killed two people before turning the gun on himself. A car in Tarpon Springs damaged after colliding with a deer, the animal's insides stuck on the roof. A body in Lakeland that decomposed for weeks until the neighbors complained of the sickening smell.

These unpleasant tasks fall to Spaulding and others in the Tampa Bay area, private businesses that clean up after investigators leave. Homicides, suicides, elderly deaths and meth labs - she does it all. It's a difficult niche to break into, she says. Many people assume police clean up after crime scenes, and by the time they find out the truth, families are in the midst of emotional and traumatic times.

Business typically spikes during the holidays, especially suicides, she says.

" 'Tis the season," she said a bit sarcastically Friday morning as she prepared for cleanup of a decomposing body in Orlando.

Under state law, police cannot recommend a particular business to victims, says Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis. Some agencies give victims lists of businesses.

"We don't give any type of crime scene company to the victims," Davis says.

Tampa police used to direct victims to a nonprofit group that helped at no cost, but the organization stopped cleaning about five years ago because new requirements about hazardous waste disposal made the process too expensive and difficult.

On average, cleanup costs about $2,000, Spaulding says. Homeowners insurance covers her services. Families can also be reimbursed through a state fund for crime victims. Rental unit cleanups are generally covered by property managers.

Unusual challenges

John Heath, owner of Accident Trauma Scene Cleaners in St. Petersburg, says his company does a lot of free work for families.

"I'm not going to tell a family no," he says. "We do well enough. There's no way you can tell a grieving mother, "no, we're not coming out.' "

Heath, 43, used to work for an environmental waste company. He left his job 11 years ago after he saw a need for crime scene cleaning, but he admits it's an odd career choice.

"You go to a party, you almost hate saying it when you're getting to know everybody," he says. "You tell them. All of a sudden you get a crowd of 20 people around you. Everybody wants to know the grossest thing you've seen."

The business presents unusual challenges. For one thing, there aren't usually repeat clients, so finding customers can be hard.

"There's just no way that you could tastefully advertise it - don't know how to put a commercial together for something like that," he says.

Spaulding says, "It's not like I can put a 2-for-1 coupon out."

Spaulding buys a small ad in the phone book. It's listed under "cleaning."

"They'll see the ad and say, 'That's not Molly Maids,' " she says.

Her dry wit and law enforcement background serve her well in the job. She started her business, Spaulding Decon LLC, after working as a Kansas City police officer from 1998 to 2001.

As an officer, victims' families always wanted more from her than she could give, she says.

She remembers a family Christmas party in Missouri. One relative shot another in the kitchen, killing him as the family watched. Police left the scene, leaving the family to clean.

Something clicked for her.

"Nobody's going to help these people. I'll do it," she recalls.

She traded in her badge and gun for a Shop-Vac, rubber gloves and blood-cleaning chemicals.

Wiping away the gore

On a recent cloudy morning, Spaulding leans into a maroon BMW at a Ferman dealership in Tarpon Springs, swabbing a chemical-soaked paper towel under the steering wheel.

When she pulls out the towel, it is stained with blood.

She doesn't know any specifics about the car or the driver. She never asks. That would make it too personal.

She doesn't know if the driver of the BMW survived. She only knows about the deer because of clumps of fur and brain matter.

This day, she wears a company T-shirt and shorts. Double-sets of gloves protect her hands. Her goal is to wipe away every bit of gore so the family doesn't see a thing. She views her work as helping people in a different way than as a police officer. No one liked her then, she says. But now, people are grateful she's there. She offers a sort of fresh start, helping to ease their pain.

"When I leave, you'll never know anything happened," she says.

The money isn't bad, but it isn't enough for her to be full-time yet. She has three employees. When she's not cleaning, she sells medical equipment.

The job is unpredictable, and she carries a cell phone so she's always available. She'll travel anywhere in the state, but sometimes she can't get there quickly enough for victims' needs.

There's more than enough work to go around, she says. It's just a matter of letting people know she's there, she says.

"Every time you turn on your TV, there's another homicide or suicide or car accident," she says.

As she pulls at the shattered glass windshield, two car dealership employees approach her.

They peer at the car. "Nasty," says damage appraiser Rob Eldridge. He wrinkles his nose.

"This is a nightmare to fix, and I don't know what kind of stench will be in there," says the other, Cam Crollard, body shop manager.

"I'd say that's the worst mess I've seen in 36 years of doing this," Eldridge says.

As they watch from a few feet away, Spaulding continues wiping up the mess.

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 226-3373 or vansickle@sptimes.com

Crime Scene Cleanup: What It Involves

The Restoration Resource

A crime scene cleanup service is not without its complications. Crime scene cleaning encompasses restoring the crime scene to its original state. When a crime is usually discovered, crime scene cleaners are not called until after officers of the law, like the crime scene investigators, have done their jobs first and have given the go ahead for the cleaners to come in. If you intend to hire a crime scene cleanup company, you must make sure that they are well equipped and fit right to get the job done. A crime scene presents challenging conditions.

The Use Of Protective Gears:
Crime scenes can very well involve the use of hazardous or deadly substances. For safety reasons then, it has become imperative that crime scene cleaners use protective clothing, in addition to protective tools and gadgets. You must see to it that they have all the necessary protective gears and gadgets. The protective clothing can consist of disposable gloves and suits. A disposable gear is preferred nowadays since it offers the best protection against contamination. You use it one time and get rid of it. That way, the dangers of contamination is virtually brought down to zero percent. Protective clothing extends to respirators and the use of heavy-duty industrial or chemical-spill protective boots.

Among the gadgets that a crime scene cleaning company must have are special brushes, special sprayers, and wet vacuum. These special tools ensure added protection against getting into contact with the hazard could very well be present in the crime scene. There is large, special equipment such as a mounted steam injection tool that is designed to sanitize dried up biohazard materials such as scattered flesh and brain. You would also need to check if they have the specialized tank for chemical treatments and industrial strength waste containers to collect biohazard waste.

Of course, any crime scene clean up must have the usual cleaning supplies common to all cleaning service companies. There are the buckets, mops, brushes and spray bottles. For cleaning products, you should check if they use industrial cleaning products. A crime scene cleaning company must have these on their lists:

1 - Disinfectants including hydrogen peroxide and bleaches - The kinds that the hospitals used are commonly acceptable.

2 - Enzyme solvers for cleaning blood stains. It also kills viruses and bacteria.

3 - Odor removers such as foggers, ozone machines, and deodorizers

4 - Handy tools for breaking and extending such as saws, sledgehammers, and ladders

Established crime scene operators also equip themselves with cameras and take pictures of the crime scene before commencing work which. The pictures taken may prove useful for legal matters and insurance purposes. You never know which.

Needless to say, a specially fitted form of transportation and proper waste disposal is also needed. These requirements are specific. As you can imagine, crime scene cleaning is in a different category on its own. A home cleaning or janitorial service company may not be able to cope up with the demands of a crime scene. A crime scene cleanup service requires many special gears and tools that a home cleaning or a janitorial service company does not usually have or does not require. Crime scene cleaning if not done correctly can expose the public to untold hazards.

What Else To Look For In A Crime Scene Cleanup Company
You may also want to hire a company that has established itself. An experienced company with a strong reputation is always a plus but it could be expensive too. You will do well to balance your needs with what is your budget. There are several companies that offer specific prices such as for death scene clean up categories and suicide clean up categories. Most companies own a website and have round the clock customer service as receptionists.

When looking for a suitable crime scene cleaning service, among the first things you need to do is to scout for price quotes. Crime scene cleanup services usually provide quote after they have examined the crime scene and then they give you a definite quote. Factors that are usually considered include the number of personnel that will be needed to get the job done. It also includes the amount of time that might be needed. The nature and amount of the waste materials that need to be disposed will also be factored in. You can be sure that the more sophisticated equipments needed the more expensive it will get.

Crime Scene Cleanup And Your Insurance
For homeowners, the best approach is always to make sure that crime scene cleanup services clauses and provisions are written down on the contracts or policies. The inclusion of crime cleanup services clauses is very common and has become standard clause in most homeowner’s policy. Make sure that you are covered for this unforeseen event. Make sure that your policy directs the crime scene cleaning company to transact directly with the homeowner insurance company. A crime scene cleaning service is usually a standard clause in many homeowners’ insurance clause. These companies often do the paperwork in behalf of clients.

If for some reason you do not have such coverage by any policies relating to crime scene cleanup on your home, there are ways to keep your expenses controlled.

Finding the right company can be very taxing, especially that you have to deal with the emotional stress stemming from the crime itself, especially with a crime scene involving death.

There are many crime scene cleanup companies in operation nowadays. There are reliable professionals that you can hire and prices are relatively competitive. As of recently, crime-scene cleanup services can cost up to $600 for an hour of their service. A homicide case alone involving a single room and a huge amount of blood can cost about $1,000 to $3,000.

In recent years, crime scene cleaning has come to be known as, "Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination or CTS. Basically, CTS is a special form of crime scene cleaning focusing on decontamination of the crime scene from hazardous substances such as those resulting from violent crimes or those involving chemical contaminations such as methamphetamine labs or anthrax production. This type of service is particularly common when violent crimes are committed in a home. It is rare that the residents move out of the home after it has become a scene of a crime. Most often, the residents just opt to have it cleaned up. That is why, it is very important to hire the best crime scene cleaning company out there. The place needs to be totally free from contamination of any kind. You have to make sure that the company is able to remove all traces of the violent crime that took place. This includes cleaning biohazards that are sometimes invisible to the untrained eye.

Legally speaking, federal laws state that all bodily fluids are deemed biohazards and you should make sure that the cleanup service company you hire understands this and includes it in the cleanup. These things appear as blood or tissue splattered on a crime scene. You must be able to hire a company that is equipped with special knowledge to safely handle biohazard materials. The company must have the knowledge what to search for in any give biohazard crime scene. For instance, the company should be able to tell clues such that if there is a bloodstain the size of a thumbnail on a carpet, you can bet that there is about a huge bloodstain underneath. Federal and State laws have their own laws in terms of transport and disposal of biohazard waste. Make sure that the company you hire has all the permits necessary.

It will also be a huge plus if you could hire people who not only has the special trainings but also who have the nature to be sympathetic. If you are close to the victim and have the cleaning done at the behest of the victim’s relatives, it would matter that the cleaners tread the site with some level of respect. It is a common site that family members and loved ones are often there at scene. In general, when looking for a suitable crime scene cleaners, you would take into considerations the kind of situation that the crimes scene presents and the demands that it require. Crime scene cleaning companies handle a wide variety of crime scenes and prices may vary from one to the other crime scene and one to the other company.

Each type of scene requires its own particular demands not only to make the crime scene look clean and neat on the surface but to make it germ free, and clean inside and to make it free from all deadly and infectious substances. The cleanup cost for biohazards may vary depending on degree of the bio hazard(s) on the scene. There may even be a category that changes the cleanup pricing which usually involves decomposing bodies and carcasses. Likewise, a cleanup of chemical hazards vary, depending on the amount of chemical hazards as well as the grades i.e. how hazardous the substance is in terms of human contact. Prices are also determined by the number of hours and personnel that it would to get the crime scene cleaned. In addition, the "gross factor" from crime scene involving death and gore needs to be taken under consideration regarding the chemicals that will be used as opposed to those crimes' that do not have gore involved.

Risks of Using In-house Employees for Environmental Cleanups

By Gerard M. Giordano, Esq.

In an attempt to save money, property owners may be tempted to use their own Employees to clean up contamination at their facilities in order to comply with state or federal environmental laws. However, there may not be any real savings because when property owners (as employers)do commit to such a venture,they must comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA)regulations that may be applicable. These are designed to protect employees from occupational injuries and illnesses,and failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines that may offset any savings.

A property owner who orders his employees to clean up or work with hazardous substances must comply with a number of precautionary regulations. The most comprehensive is 29 CFR 1910.120, which deals with hazardous waste operations and emergency response. An employer is required to develop and put into writing a safety and health program for any employees engaged in hazardous waste cleanup operations.

The elements of an effective program include requiring an employer to identify and evaluate specific hazards and to determine the appropriate safety and health control procedures to protect employees before any work is initiated. Likewise, protective equipment must be utilized by employees during the initial site entry and, if required,during subsequent work at the site. The employer must also periodically monitor employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances in excess of OSHA ’s regulations.

Once the presence and concentration of specific hazardous substances and health hazards have been established, employees involved in the cleanup operations must be informed of any risks associated with their work. Under certain ircumstances,regular ongoing medical surveillance of employees by a licensed physician, and without cost to the employees or lost pay, may be required.

Numerous other safeguards are also required by OSHA. For example, OSHA’s hazardous communications program, 29 CFR 1910.120, requires an employer to establish and implement a hazard communication program if, during the course of the cleanup, employees may be exposed to hazardous chemicals.

The requirements are essentially the same as those in workplaces where employees are routinely exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program must include container labeling, production of material safety data sheets and employee training. The employer must also provide a full description of the OSHA compliance program to employees, contractors and subcontractors involved with the cleanup operations as well as OSHA,and to any other federal,state or local agency with regulatory authority over the cleanup.

Regulation 29 CFR 1910.120 also requires an employer that retains the services of a contractor or subcontractor to inform them of any identified potential hazards of the cleanup operations. Generally, it is the involvement of employees that triggers an employer’s obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. If contractors were retained, it would be the contractors’ responsibility to comply with these OSHA requirements on behalf of their employees, assuming that the employer
retaining the contractor has neither employees involved in the cleanup nor employees potentially exposed to health hazards arising from the cleanup.

In addition to the contractor’s required compliance with OSHA regulations, it is imperative that a property owner include in any agreement with the contractor that the contractor must comply with all pertinent OSHA regulations. If possible,the agreement should also provide for indemnifications from the contractor to the property owner for claims arising from the cleanup. These indemnifications will be important if the employees of the contractor are injured or subsequently become ill because of such work. The indemnifications should survive the completion of the work. These precautions will help insulate the property owner from both governmental actions and potential third-party claims.

Failure to comply with OSHA regulations on the part of the property owner who uses his own employees to perform a cleanup or work with hazardous substances may result in substantial penalties. Under OSHA, fines can be levied for each violation found by an inspector. These violations can result in non-serious, serious or willful violations with penalties as high as $70,000 for each violation. If a subsequent inspection is performed and violations are found which have not been corrected from an original inspection,daily penalties could be levied resulting in substantial fines.

Compliance with OSHA regulations should be a factor when a property owner decides to use in-house employees for cleanups. In the long run, there may not be any savings to the employer. Furthermore, because of the employer’s lack of familiarity with the OSHA regulations governing the cleanup of hazardous sites,the employer could be subject to fines as a result of its failure to comply with the OSHA regulations.

Therefore, it may be prudent in the long run to retain a company whose business is devoted to doing only cleanups. This company will have the expertise and continuing obligations to protect its employees.

Gerard Giordano is special counsel at the law firm of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, P.A., based in Hackensack, NJ. He is a member of the firm’s Environmental Department, and his practice focuses particularly on OSHA matters. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Giordano worked at the U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as an industrial hygiene compliance officer.

Cleaning with compassion: Scene Clean

By Andrea M. Galabinski

Scene Clean owners Alice N. Jackson, left, and Tracy Gunn dressed in biohazard suits believe in compassion for their clients. They are in a very unique business, something like a cross between Mr. Clean and CSI. The owners of Scene Clean, Tracy Gunn and Alice N. Jackson, take the business very seriously, and consider the best way to describe what they do as "cleaning with compassion." The women provide crime and trauma scene cleanup, with 24 hour emergency services.

The scenes can include crimes, such as homicide, suicide and unattended death, all very traumatic times for clients. They work with policing agencies throughout Southwest Florida and for private clients.

"When tragedy strikes, we're here to relieve others of the burden of preforming such a traumatic and possibly dangerous task clean up can be," said Gunn. "We discreetly and safely restore the scene." They work within strict OSHA and Department of Health regulations, and get regular training. They wear full biohazard suits for the clean ups.

It's not a subject many feel comfortable talking about, and the two women know it. They care very deeply about the personal side of the tragedies.

Jackson grew up around the bereaved. Her father was a funeral director in her hometown in New Jersey. "He never missed a day of work in 45 years, until he got cancer," she said. The death of her parents effected her deeply, and she truly feels for the individuals they work for. Another thing point for their company is that they've made their services affordable. "We don't want to victimize them twice," she said. "First with their own tragedy, and then the burden of a huge bill."

Gunn was born and raised here in Naples, and is an extremely upbeat individual, yet very serious when she talks about what the two do. They are best friends, and both moms of nine year olds. "Motherhood comes first," said Gunn. They are also proud to be certified woman business owners and are registered with the state.

They have been in business now for three years, but it was Jackson's father's own compassion for the grieving that inspired the idea years ago. "The family shouldn't have to do it. It shouldn't be their last memory," she said.

They also do what is called Distress Property, such as a home where the owner, before dying, had 37 cats that needed to be cleaned up after. It was a tremendous undertaking, they said.

"One of the hardest things is that sometimes we need to go through personal effects to get the job done. I'm very aware that we're strangers," said Gunn. "We respect that."

The job can be very emotional at times, both women said, in the light of tragedy. "You can't get a suit that protects you from that," said Gunn. Of the suits, they say they lose three to four pounds on each job, as they are hot and heavy. There is no exposed part of the body in what they do.

Gunn generally deals with the families. "It makes me feel like I'm helping them, giving my own condolences." They know that the whole subject is taboo, and people don't like talking about it. When they give out their cards, Gunn says, "I hope you never need our services. But if you do, we're here."

The economic cost of methamphetamine use in the United States

Medical Research News

The economic cost of methamphetamine use in the United States reached $23.4 billion in 2005, including the burden of addiction, premature death, drug treatment and many other aspects of the drug, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
The RAND study is the first effort to construct a comprehensive national assessment of the costs of the methamphetamine problem in the United States.

"Our findings show that the economic burden of methamphetamine abuse is substantial," said Nancy Nicosia, the study's lead author and an economist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.

Although methamphetamine causes some unique harms, the study finds that many of the primary issues that account for the burden of methamphetamine use are similar to those identified in economic assessments of other illicit drugs.

Given the uncertainty in estimating the costs of methamphetamine use, researchers created a range of estimates. The lowest estimate for the cost of methamphetamine use in 2005 was $16.2 billion, while $48.3 billion was the highest estimate. Researchers' best estimate of the overall economic burden of methamphetamine use is $23.4 billion

The study was sponsored by the Meth Project Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to reducing first-time methamphetamine use. Additional support was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"We commissioned this study to provide decision makers with the best possible estimate of the financial burden that methamphetamine use places on the American public," said Tom Siebel, founder and chairman of the Meth Project. "This is the first comprehensive economic impact study ever to be conducted with the rigor of a traditional cost of illness study, applied specifically to methamphetamine. It provides a conservative estimate of the total cost of meth, and it reinforces the need to invest in serious prevention programs that work."

The RAND analysis found that nearly two-thirds of the economic costs caused by methamphetamine use resulted from the burden of addiction and an estimated 900 premature deaths among users in 2005. The burden of addiction was measured by quantifying the impact of the lower quality of life experienced by those addicted to the drug.

Crime and criminal justice expenses account for the second-largest category of economic costs, according to researchers. These costs include the burden of arresting and incarcerating drug offenders, as well as the costs of additional non-drug crimes caused by methamphetamine use, such as thefts committed to support a drug habit.

Other costs that significantly contribute to the RAND estimate include lost productivity, the expense of removing children from their parents' homes because of methamphetamine use and spending for drug treatment.

One new category of cost captured in the analysis is the expense associated with the production of methamphetamine. Producing methamphetamine requires toxic chemicals that can result in fire, explosions and other events. The resulting costs include the injuries suffered by emergency personnel and other victims, and efforts to clean up the hazardous waste generated by the production process.

Researchers caution that their estimates are in some cases based on an emerging understanding of methamphetamine's role in these harms and should be further refined as understanding of these issues matures. The RAND report also identifies costs that cannot yet be adequately quantified.

"Estimates of the economic costs of illicit drug use can highlight the consequences of illegal drug use on our society and focus attention on the primary drivers of those costs," Nicosia said. "But more work is needed to identify areas where interventions to reduce these harms could prove most effective."

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance that can be taken orally, injected, snorted or smoked. While national surveys suggest that methamphetamine use is far from common, there is evidence that the harms of methamphetamine may be concentrated in certain regions. One indicator of the problem locally is treatment admissions. Methamphetamine was the primary drug of abuse in 59 percent of the treatment admissions in Hawaii in 2004 and accounted for 38 percent of such admissions in Arizona in 2004.

Woman Wanted For Illegally Dumping Medical Waste

WJXT-TV

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Authorities are looking for Pamela Niland for allegedly dumping two hazardous waste bins into a Dumpster behind a construction company's building.

Deputies said they believe Niland is the woman caught on a surveillance camera getting out of a maroon sport utility vehicle and opening the rear hatch, only to remove a garbage bag containing two red biohazard containers.

Authorities said the containers contained used needles, blood and vials of medicine and drugs. Police reports said that once authorities made contact with Niland, she claimed to have been fired from Flagler Hospital in September for allegedly stealing narcotics from the hospital.

Police reports said the construction company's owner saw the SUV in the rear of the building and became suspicious, compelling him to look at the surveillance video. After seeing what she disposed of, the company's owner called the police.

A warrant has been issued for Niland's arrest, but as of Saturday she has not been arrested. A representative from Flagler Hospital said the containers were stolen from that hospital and that they wish to press additional charges.

Lawsuit: St. Joseph's Hospital mold killed three children

TAMPA — Last spring, three young cancer patients died within a month of one another after stays at St. Joseph's Hospital.

But cancer didn't kill them, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

Attorney Steve Yerrid says the children were exposed to a dangerous fungus released during a hospital construction project. Their immune systems already weakened by disease, the children succumbed to mold-related infections, the suit alleges.

The children's parents are suing the hospital for negligence, contending that it failed to protect its most vulnerable patients. Yerrid, who has a track record of winning large verdicts against local health care providers, spoke Tuesday on behalf of the families.

"They know that the system can never bring back their children," he said. "But they know that the system can deliver safety for other children."

Though she could not comment specifically on the lawsuit or the patients, St. Joseph's spokeswoman Lisa Patterson said the hospital is careful to use barriers and filter the air around its construction areas.

"Anytime we do any kind of construction we follow all the necessary precautions," she said. "Obviously, patient safety is the top priority for the children's hospital."

As part of a $1 million renovation to its children's oncology center, St. Joseph's last year tripled the size of the outpatient area where young cancer patients receive their chemotherapy, creating private treatment rooms equipped with flat-screen TVs.

The children represented in Yerrid's lawsuit had been formally admitted to the hospital, and spent many of their final days in rooms one floor above the construction activity.

The lawsuit says the hospital did not guard those rooms from contaminated dust and airborne particles generated by the demolition and removal of plaster walls and ceiling tiles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 million infections from a variety of causes are acquired each year in health care settings, resulting in 90,000 deaths.

Parallel cases

Yerrid's lawsuit details three sad and parallel fates.

Mathew Gliddon, 5, battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia on and off for three years. The cancer attacks the body's white blood cells, which normally fight infections.

Last March, his parents, Mathew and Karen Gliddon, expressed concerns to St. Joseph's infection control nurse about fumes and odors that seeped into their son's room from smokers and vehicles outside the hospital. They also worried about children sharing the same passageways with construction workers when they were transported to the main hospital for services, the lawsuit states.

That month, doctors removed most of young Mathew's nose due to an invasive nasal sinus fungal infection. He died on April 16, 3½ weeks after doctors discharged him. An autopsy showed that his death was caused by chemotherapy and a fungi infection.

Sierra Kesler, 9, died May 3. Born with Down's syndrome, she also was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

She was admitted to St. Joseph's several times in early 2008 for pneumonia, sinusitis and a cancer relapse. In April, after her cancer was back in remission, Sierra returned to the oncology ward for treatment. After several weeks there, she experienced significant respiratory distress and, according to the lawsuit, contracted a fatal lung infection caused by mold.

Her autopsy listed the cause of death as fungal pneumonia with underlying leukemia.

Kaylie Gunn-Rimes, 2, suffered from infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She spent three weeks on the first floor at St. Joseph's Hospital in January 2008 getting treated for an allergic drug reaction. Tests showed no recurrent cancer.

By February, she developed a lung infection caused by mold. She died May 13 of respiratory failure.

Each child's infection was linked to aspergillus, a common mold found virtually everywhere, including in soil, air and construction dust. Most people breathe it in every day without harm. But the mold can cause serious or deadly infections in people who have undergone chemotherapy or organ transplants.

"In normal people we live with them, and they don't cause infection in us because our bodies are able to repel them," said Dr. Russell Vega, chief medical examiner for Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto counties. "It's not until our bodies become compromised … that those normally innocuous bacteria and fungi can get a foothold in the body and cause disease."

Other incidents

Yerrid could not say whether other children had suffered from mold infections at St. Joseph's. Similar cases of patients dying or becoming seriously ill after being exposed to mold in hospitals have been reported in recent years in Colorado, New York and Australia.

Patterson, the hospital spokeswoman, said St. Joseph's has an infection control team that works to ensure a clean and healthy environment. Hospital procedure includes preventive maintenance rounds and measuring air quality, she said.

Yerrid, 59, says those efforts fell short.

"There are simple protocols," he said, "that should and could have been followed."

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Colleen Jenkins can be reached at cjenkins@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3337.

Spaulding DECON Cleans Florida

Sunshine Cleaning (March 13th 2009)

Sunshine Cleaning is a comedy-drama starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt.

Sunshine Cleaning follows an average family that finds the path to its dreams in an unlikely setting. A single mom and her slacker sister find an unexpected way to turn their lives around - once the high school cheerleading captain who dated the quarterback, Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) now finds herself a thirty something single mother working as a maid. Her sister Norah (Emily Blunt) is still living at home with their dad Joe (Alan Arkin), a salesman with a lifelong history of ill-fated get rich quick schemes. Desperate to get her son into a better school, Rose persuades Norah to go into the crime scene clean-up business with her to make some quick cash. In no time, the girls are up to their elbows in murders, suicides and other…specialized situations. As they climb the ranks in a very dirty job, the sisters find a true respect for one another and the closeness they have always craved finally blossoms. By building their own improbable business, Rose and Norah open the door to the joys and challenges of being there for one another—no matter what—while creating a brighter future for the entire Lorkowski family.

Here’s the Sunshine Cleaning Trailer, hit HQ in the menu bottom right for improved quality. The movie is due out March 13, 2009.

Estates man gets 5 years for Hurricane Wilma insurance scam

Naples Daily News

Friday, January 30, 2009

NAPLES — A 40-year-old Golden Gate Estates man who accepted kickbacks for referring Hurricane Wilma home-repair work to a Naples contractor was sent to prison for five years Friday after pleading guilty to a roughly $76,000 insurance fraud scheme.

Edward Joseph O’Neil, once an insurance adjuster for Cincinnati Insurance Co, was adjudicated guilty of scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony, and Collier Circuit Judge Fred Hardt, sentenced him to 10 years of probation after his release. He also ordered him to pay $632.82 monthly over that period to pay off the $75,938.50 in restitution to his former employer.

O’Neil, who wore a suit, said little during his sentencing, except to say he understood he was waiving away his rights to a trial and an appeal. Hardt ordered him to have no contact with contractor Edward Byrnes, who operates K & B Builders in East Naples, and his wife, Diane. Byrnes cooperated with the State Attorney’s Office and his case is pending before another judge. O’Neil had faced up to 30 years in a state prison, but was sentenced as part of a plea agreement negotiated by Assistant State Attorney Jim Molenaar and defense attorney Burt Stutchin.

The prosecutor told the judge on Wednesday that further investigation showed the amount embezzled by O’Neil was more than $100,000. “I never saw any evidence that would warrant that,” Stutchin said as he left the courthouse after sentencing. “The penalty was severe enough.” O’Neil faced trial next week and had accepted a plea deal Wednesday, but Hardt rejected the agreement to two years of house arrest followed by probation and restitution.

Stutchin tried to withdraw as attorney after Hardt denied a ruling asking that the judge not preside over the case. The motion said Hardt would be biased because he’d worked as counsel for Cincinnati Insurance and understood the workings of the insurance industry. Hardt angrily denied Stutchin’s interpretation of what he’d said, adding, “I know what I said.” Stutchin withdrew his motion to withdraw on Wednesday, then reinstated it after Hardt rejected the plea deal. He was to argue the motion Friday, but they reached the plea agreement.

After Hardt was told of the sentence, Stutchin asked for a 90-day furlough so O’Neil could tie up family affairs. “No. Not on a five-year sentence,” Hardt tersely replied. O’Neil then pleaded with him for time, at least 30 days before he turned himself in for sentencing. “I have a father in law, who has been like a father to me, who has Guillain-Barré disease,” O’Neil said. “My mom lives with me as well and she’s indigent.” Hardt again refused and said he could plead later or go to trial.

Looking like he was about to cry, O’Neil walked outside the courtroom with the attorneys and later returned, pleaded and was sentenced. His wife, Laurel, who had been at the hearing Wednesday, was not there and learned over the phone her husband would be leaving her and their children for five years. He was given credit for the one day he served in county jail before he posted $15,000 bond five hours after his arrest on March 6. 2008.