‘Spores everywhere’: Mould concern flagged at Bundaberg IGA

A former nurse has raised concerns over mould in a grocery story after noticing a ‘awful smell’ and large black spots on ceiling air conditioners.

A former nurse has raised concerns over possible mould in a Bundaberg grocery store.

A former nurse has raised concerns over mould in a Bundaberg grocery story after noticing an “awful smell” and large black spots on ceiling air conditioners.

Cheryl Pershouse and her husband Keith visited the Everfresh IGA in Bundaberg on Monday, February 5 when they noticed a putrid odour radiating through the store.

“We just went in there to buy something, it’s a really clean store normally, but there was just this awful smell,” Mrs Pershouse said.
The pair spoke to a staff member, curious to find out what was causing the smell throughout the store, only to be told the staff did not know.

After looking at the ceiling Mr Pershouse informed the staff he believed the smell was due to mould spores lingering in the air conditioning system.

Photographs obtained by the NewsMail show several blackened patches on the ceiling of the store, and dark stains around the air conditioning units.

Former nurse Cheryl Pershouse is concerned over the health of staff due to mould visible in a local grocery store. Photo Paul Beutel.

As a former nurse, who dealt directly with the fallout of the 1987 Newcastle Mall air conditioner mould contamination crisis which left multiple people hospitalised, Mrs Pershouse said she was worried.

“My concern stemmed from when I worked at the North Shore Hospital in Sydney. I looked after a lot of people who had contracted legionnaires’ disease otherwise known as legionella pneumonia.

“It’s quite a big deal, so when I went into the store and was smelling that smell, my concern was for the staff who had been in there all day, and the people shopping who may have compromised immune systems.”

Mrs Pershouse said her concern was heightened due to the ongoing warm and damp conditions which had sparked a recent mould outbreak in the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

So worried by the possibility of seeing locals impacted by mould borne illnesses, she lodged a complaint with Workplace Health and Safety, and Queensland Health, which was escalated to the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.

“The ceilings were moldy and the glass windows had condensation due to high humidity,” she said in a report lodged with Workplace Health and Safety.

Multiple images show blackened patches on the ceiling of the shopping centre.

“We spoke to the cashier. She said, ‘yes the smell is dreadful, we cannot find where it is coming from’.

“My husband told her that it was the air conditioner, showing her that the mould on the ceilings indicated there were mould spores everywhere.”

A Wide Bay Public Health Unit spokesperson said concerns such as those held by Mrs Pershouse were not managed by the health department.

“Mould is generally not a public health risk under the Public Health Act 2005, therefore it would not be managed by the Public Health Unit or Queensland Health,” the spokesperson said.

“As this relates to a place of business, we would encourage concerned customers or staff to raise this issue directly with store management.”

“In case of escalation, this would be managed under Workplace Health and Safety requirements.”

IGA Australia was contacted for comment.

A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland spokesperson said it had received a workplace complaint relating to possible mould in a workplace in Bundaberg Central on February 5.

“Inspectors are currently making enquiries about the matter and will take appropriate regulatory action if required,” they said.