How Employers and Commercial Landlords Can Maintain a MoldSafe Workplace



February 7 2005 Exposure to workplace mold infestation can cause serious health problems for employees customers and visitors according to DangerBusters a worldwide environmental inspection testing remediation and training firm Employers commercial landlords and employees in Canada the USA and worldwide should suspect a mold health threat if any of these three mold warnings occur in the workplace 1 Visible mold growth appears on or in ceilings walls floors heatingcooling ducts and registers attic basementcrawl space andor on furniture equipment and inventory of raw materials or finished products 2 Workers or customers report experiencing any of the most common possible mold health symptoms allergies asthma bleeding lungs breathing difficulties central nervous system problems recurring colds coughing chronic coughing up blood dandruff problems chronic that don go away despite use of antidandruff shampoos dermatitis skin rashes diarrhea andor Eye and vision problems fatigue chronic excessive or continued andor general malaise flu symptoms chronic sudden hair loss headaches hemorrhagic pneumonitis hives irritability itching of the nose mouth eyes throat skin or any other area kidney failure learning difficulties or mental functioning problems or personality changes memory loss or memory difficulties andor Open skin sores and lacerations peripheral nervous system effects redness of the sclera white of your eyes runny nose rhinitis or thick green slime coming out of nose from sinus cavities seizures sinus congestion sinus problems and chronic sinusitis skin redness sleep disorders sneezing fits sore throat tremors shaking verbal dysfunction trouble in speaking vertigo feelings of dizziness lightheadedness faintness and unsteadiness and vomiting People differ significantly in their sensitivity and reaction to mold exposure Consequently there are no federal standards or recommendations eg OSHA NIOSH and EPA for airborne concentrations of mold or mold spores in the workplace Even the smell of mold can make some workers sick Thus if only one or a few workers or customers experience one or more possible mold health symptoms the employer or landlord should still inspect and mold test the work premises for the health protection of both the moldsensitive employees and others who may ultimately be harmed from timecumulative mold exposure 3 Workplace mold inspection and testing discover elevated levels of indoor mold in the air on visible surfaces or hidden inside walls ceilings floors the heatingcooling equipment and ducts the attic or the basementcrawl space All molds have the potential to cause health effects Molds can produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or even asthma attacks in people allergic to mold Others are known to produce potent toxins andor irritants according to the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA As to asthma a health study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health links adultonset asthma to workplace mold exposure The present health study results provide new evidence of the relation between workplace exposure to indoor molds and development of asthma in adulthood Our findings suggest that indoor mold problems constitute an important occupational health hazard The Finnish workplace mold study estimated that the percentage of adultonset asthma attributable to workplace mold exposure to be 35 Reported in Environmental Health Perspectives May 2002 Furthermore a number of commonly found indoor mold species are in fact toxic mold a description applied to any mold that produces mycotoxins in its spores Stachybotrys lack mold Aspergillus and Penicillium are three of the most dangerous indoor toxic molds Mycotoxins are cytoxic meaning they have the capacity to pass through the human cellular wall and disrupt certain cellular processespotentially causing serious health damage to workers and customers What should employees do If you see or smell mold or if you or others are experiencing moldrelated symptoms report it so the problem can be investigated You may need to tell your employer supervisor health and safety officer union representative or school board Find out whether coworkers are experiencing any moldrelated symptoms recommends the California Department of Health Services What should companies and property managers do for mold prevention maintenance and remediation Step 1 is to conduct periodic and thorough physical inspections of the workplace for evidence of water and mold problemswhether visible or hidden For effective mold inspection and testing the employer or property owner should hire a certified mold inspector environmental hygienist or industrial hygienist Alternatively and less expensive utilize mold test kits for allaround mold testing The inspector or hygienist will collect samples of all visible mold growths mold test the air of each room and area of the employer's facility and obtain mold laboratory analysis and mold species identification and quantification of the collected mold and air samples The most common moldcausing water problems are roof leaks siding leaks plumbing line leaks sewer line breaks a wet crawl space or basement flooding and high humidity Finding and fixing the underlying water problem are always required for successful mold remediation For step 2 follow the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA recommendation that the employer and the building owner should notify workers in the affected areas of the presence of mold in their workplace Notification should include a description of the proposed remedial measures and a timetable for completion Group meetings held before and after remediation with full disclosure of plans and results can be an effective communication mechanism Individuals with persistent health problems that might be related to mold exposure should be encouraged to visit their physicians for a referral to practitioners who are trained in occupationalenvironmental medicine or related specialties and are knowledgeable about medical mold diagnostic and treatment procedures Step 3 is for the employer or landlord to do safe and effective mold killing mold removal and mold remediation of all mold growths and of all airborne and surfacedeposited mold spores After the completion of mold remediation the workplace needs to pass clearance tests to be safe for employees and customers For more information about mold prevention inspection testing and remediation techniques please visit httpwwwmoldinspectorcom httpwwwcertifiedmoldinspectorscom httpwwwmoldph httpwwwenvirosurfcom httpwwwepagov httpwwwoshagov



How Employers and Commercial Landlords Can Maintain a MoldSafe Workplace