Mold of any type in workplace is bad news and if your employees spot it before you do, it can impact on the way their work and their happiness at work too. Even more importantly it could damage their health in both the short and long term. Mold of any kind is a potential health risk to your employees and anyone who enters your premises so you must deal with it quickly and effectively.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) highlight a range of potentially serious health conditions as linked with mold exposure including:

• Allergies: ranging from mild to severe, mold exposure can lead to a rage of symptoms linked with allergies. These include: nose irritation, sneezing, stuffiness and runny nose, watery and itchy eyes. If an employee already suffers with allergies then mold exposure can lead to severe symptoms such as shortness of breath and other issues associated with asthma.
• Asthma: mold exposure can lead to the development of this lung disease. The airways become inflamed as they are irritated by the mold and can lead to tightness in the chest, excessive coughing, wheezing and difficulty to breathe.
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: some people can develop an immune system sensitization which leads to Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs. It can result in severe or permanent damage to the lungs and can occur if long-term exposure to mold happens.

Mold can impact on the health of employees instantly or symptoms can develop over time, in any case you need to act quickly to ensure it is removed and the health of your employees is protected.

The Cause of Mold

Mold can only grow in areas where there is moisture or water and oxygen. Even buildings where there is no flowing water can be impacted by mold, there just needs to be enough to promote mold growth. One-time links and pipes bursting and leaving residual water can cause mold but so can many other issues. The main or most common potential causes of mold include: Low levels of building maintenance Poor construction Leaky pipes, windows or doors Plumbing mistakes As a result of flooding Excessive humidity *Condensation

There are other causes too but these are the most common ones we find and to look out for.

Acting on Mold

Acting on mold requires both preventative and emergency measures. The prevent and limit mold growth it is important to regularly inspect buildings for any signs of damp. You should also ensure you have a properly working HVAC system to minimize internal humidity reaching uncomfortable levels. If an employee reports a health concern which could be due to mold ensure your buildings are properly audited and issues are checked for. If you find they are diagnosed with a building-related respiratory disease then ensure your premises is properly cleaned and restored before people work in the error.

Call in Professional Mold Specialists

If you find any level of mold problem then you need professional support to ensure it is properly dealt with. Our mold cleaning and mold remediation services ensure any levels of toxicity are removed and your premises is clean and safe to work in. Our services are affordable and utilize the correct equipment as well as highly trained professional teams who know how to effectively remove the mold and fully clean an affected area. Properly dealing with a mold problem is essential to avoid it become an even more serious issue and putting your employees and any other visitors to your premises at risk.