Columbus Art Museum Workers Issue Complaints About Chemical Fumes

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Columbus Museum of Art Faces OSHA Inquiry After Staff Report Illness Linked to Floor-Sealant Fumes

Renovation work meant to refresh galleries at the Columbus Museum of Art has instead prompted a workplace safety complaint, after employees reported feeling sick amid lingering chemical fumes.

Workers at the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio have contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to report headaches, nausea, and dizziness they believe were caused by a floor sealing product used during construction in the museum's Ross building. The Columbus Dispatch reported Tuesday that the museum has been applying a sealant identified as GT 275 to gallery floors as part of recently begun renovation work.

According to the Dispatch, staff members have complained for weeks about fumes traveling through the institution while the project continues. Eric Clift, a former gallery associate who spoke to the newspaper, said several employees called in sick. He also said the museum's maintenance team provided workers with information about the product and distributed N95 masks.

The Dispatch cited manufacturer safety information for GT 275 warning that inhalation can adversely affect the central nervous system. Listed symptoms include drowsiness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and“lowering of consciousness.” The same safety information notes that acute overexposure through inhalation can lead to respiratory distress, confusion, and unconsciousness.

The product's guidance indicates it should be used outdoors or in well-ventilated environments, and includes a direct caution:“Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapors/spray.”

Clift told the Dispatch that some workers' anxiety stems from the uncertainty of what exposure might mean over time.“I think part of some people's concerns is that if they stopped work today and gave us all that information today we can't un-breathe in what we've already ingested and who knows what the long-term ramifications for that could be for particular people,” he said.

The museum has remained open during the renovation, and Clift claimed that a tour for young babies and their caregivers took place on a day when fumes were at their worst.

In a statement provided to ARTnews, a spokesperson for the Columbus Museum of Art said the institution is taking the reports seriously and is cooperating with regulators.“The museum is aware of and takes seriously the concerns related to recent renovation work. We are actively reviewing conditions and responding to the OSHA inquiry. The safety of our staff and visitors is our top priority, and we will continue to take any necessary steps to ensure a safe environment as work continues,” the spokesperson said.

The complaint arrives at a moment when museums nationwide are balancing ambitious capital projects with the practical realities of keeping public-facing spaces operational. For institutions that remain open during construction, indoor air quality and ventilation protocols can become as consequential as the renovation's design goals - especially when materials intended for outdoor or high-ventilation use are introduced into active galleries.

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