SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico Department of Health issued an advisory on their investigation into New Mexico Highlands University’s chemical storage and handling.

According to NMHealth, the investigation encompasses the death of a custodian at the university. The custodian was Martin Lujan, who died Sept. 14 at age 54. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator is still awaiting toxicology results on the cause of death.

Lujan worked at the Ivan Hilton Science Building which, according to NMHU, closed Sept. 3 over issues with storage and maintenance of chemicals. However, the university’s facilities department received a complaint about a strong chemical smell as early as July 16.

At that time, NMHU says the smell came from a walk-in cooler. They removed the material in question and had two custodians mop the inside of the cooler to complete the cleaning. The university says they also hired an abatement company to cleaned the cooler before taping it off and prohibiting access.

Then, on Aug. 27, “residual odors” prompted them to contact New Mexico OSHA and the New Mexico Environment Department to report the incident and seek guidance.

On Sept. 3, another chemical smell was reported. The NMHU Police Chief called the Las Vegas Fire Department to inspect the complaint. The inspection uncovered a leak, prompting the fire department to instruct the university to evacuate and close the building.

A HAZMAT contractor came and cleaned up a dimethylamine hydrochloride leak inside a chemical storage room. Then, they did inventory and labeled all remaining chemicals in the room.

The state’s environment department then performed an inspection, which uncovered unlabeled and expired chemicals in other areas of the building. By Sept. 20, the HAZMAT contractor removed all chemicals from the lab and put them in a central storage area.

Two days before, however, OSHA received a complaint about Lujan’s death.

In the wake of this, NMHU stated they’re working to strengthen the campus’s HAZMAT policy.

“We’ve restructured the organization of the Environmental Health and Safety Office and have established a committee of staff and faculty members to review and strengthen all current protocols as needed. We’ve received offers of assistance with this effort from the New Mexico Environmental Department, specialists from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and specialists from Los Alamos National Labs,” University President Neil Woolf said in a statement.

Woolf added they won’t reopen the building until it is safe to do so.

Still, leaders from NMHealth, the New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Higher Education Department are working together on this investigation.

“We are diligently working in tandem with our state partners to ensure all campus facilities at NMHU follow protocols and procedures associated with the storage of chemical, biological and radiological materials,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez. “A review is underway to ensure that the campus and community will not be put at risk. The health and safety of all community members, students, faculty and staff must be at the forefront of all conversations and decisions at the university.” 

NMHealth is urging workers in the state to be aware of any occupational hazards or exposures. 

“State public health agencies have critical roles to play in investigating occupational health exposures,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, Chief Medical Officer of NMHealth. “Illnesses or injuries from suspected environmentally induced health conditions are listed among the notifiable diseases or conditions required to be reported to our agency by hospitals and medical providers.”  

“My department’s sole focus is to ensure the campus community is safe in their residence halls, offices and classrooms,” said Environment Secretary James Kenney. “If our ongoing investigations find evidence to the contrary, we will take every necessary and legally viable enforcement action to bring New Mexico Highlands University back into compliance with state and federal law.” 

According to NMHealth, symptoms from exposure to occupational hazards can vary based on what type of chemical or event you have been exposed to. If you have symptoms that are non-life threatening, they say to set up a doctor’s appointment and report it to your employer. If you have more severe symptoms, they say to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.  

You can report environmental occupational exposures that occur at work to the NMHealth Helpline at 1-833-796-8773.