Management of the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS) says investigations and remediation work carried out last year confirmed that its offices at Baobab Tower, Warrens, St Michael, are safe for staff to occupy.
In a statement, BSS said environmental concerns raised by staff during 2025 led management to contract several professional services to investigate and address the issues. These included an industrial hygienist/environmentalist, cleaners and mould remediation specialists. Staff also worked remotely at times during the remediation process.
Below is the full statement by BSS
As a result of environmental concerns expressed by the staff of the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS), Management contracted a number of professional services during 2025 to have these concerns investigated and rectified. On occasions, during the period of remediation, the staff of the BSS worked remotely.
The professional services contracted included those of an industrial hygienist/environmentalist, cleaners, and mould remediation specialists. Air quality tests were conducted pre and post mould remediation. The post mould remediation verification assessment report dated July 15, 2025, confirmed that the various spore volumes at the 5th and 6th floor locations of the BSS were within industry-recommended Clean Building Volumes and that the workspaces could be re-occupied.
The recommendations of the Report, inclusive of “improved detailed monthly housekeeping practices within workspaces, offices and rooms, especially Offices, Server Room, and the Storerooms that are generally locked”, have been implemented by Management. This has resulted in increased cleaning regimens, including cleaning of chairs, to complement daily and quarterly industrial cleaning. Management has also disposed of old documents, continued its digitization programme, and removed old and discarded furniture from the workspace to reduce clutter and dust accumulation.
The post mould remediation Report dated July 15, 2025 was shared via e-mail on October 6, 2025 with multiple stakeholders, as part of an invitation to a meeting on October 9, 2025 for discussion of the Report with the consultant industrial hygienist/environmentalist. The invited stakeholders included the National Union of Public Workers, Unity Workers Union, the Ministry of Housing, the Property Managers of Baobab Tower, the representative of the Landlord, NISSS, the Labour Department, Management and the BSS Safety and Health Committee. The consultant industrial hygienist/environmentalist met remotely with stakeholders on October 9, 2025, discussed the report and explained his air quality findings. Unity Workers Union did not attend the meeting.
Based on the report findings and discussion, the office was deemed to have passed the clean office standard. On October 10, 2025, therefore, the Director of BSS provided an update to all employees on the environmental issues and directed them to return to work in the office with effect from October 14, 2025. The Director of BSS also shared the most recent post mould remediation report via an email to all staff on October 17, 2025.
The Labour Department performed a walk-through during October 2025, supported the return to the office on completion of the next scheduled industrial cleaning and emphasized the need to comply with the recommendations of the Consultant to ensure the proper maintenance of housekeeping standards.
The BSS Safety and Health Committee performed a walk-through on November 11 and 12, 2025 and supported the return to the office environment.
The Permanent Secretary was informed that fifty-nine (59) employees had returned to work in the office environment at BSS while five (5) employees represented by the Unity Workers Union, had not. This matter was drawn to the attention of the Ministry of the Public Service and Talent Development, which supported the return to the office environment. Correspondence was therefore issued to the five (5) members of staff on February 27, 2026 and copied to their Union informing of the requirement to resume duties in office effective March 2, 2026.
An article in the Nation newspaper on Tuesday March 3, 2026 entitled “UWU’s advice to workers” contains a number of statements attributed to the Unity Workers Union:
- “Government’s refusal to release the results of scientific tests conducted to identify pathogens affecting workers”.
- “(S)omeone has taken the decision not to disclose life-saving information”.
- “(T)he Union’s two representatives on the Safety and Health Committee were unaware of such a decision”.
The Report, which was shared with all staff on October 17, 2025, was shared in its entirety. The Report is a Post Mould Remediation Verification Assessment (PMRVA). It contains the specific objectives, the hypotheses, and the specific spores by name and volume, which were the subject of the air quality tests. It confirmed that all volumes found were within the industry-recommended Clean Building Volume levels, the workspaces having been successfully remediated. It should be noted that at least one (1) member of staff represented by the Unity Workers Union confirmed receipt of the Report.
The Management of the Barbados Statistical Service has acted responsibly in discharging its duty to its employees under the Safety and Health at Work Act. All employees and their union representatives have also been kept informed of all actions taken to achieve and maintain a safe working environment for all employees.
The Management of the Barbados Statistical Service remains committed to the consultative process.
