Mold Prevention and Remediation

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Mold Prevention and Remediation
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Agenda

• How Does Mold Exposure Occur?
• Requirements for Mold Growth
• Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure
• Objective
• Water Damage Clean-Up/Mold Prevention
• What Do I Do If I Find Mold?
• Hazard Assessment
• Mold Remediation (Clean-up/Removal)
• Occupant Communication

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How Does Mold Exposure Occur?

• Mold is a naturally occurring organism that
  produces seed-like spores that are small enough
  to travel through the air.
• We are exposed to mold daily in the air we
  breathe.
• Exposure occurs through breathing, ingestion,
  and/or skin contact.
• The level of airborne molds increase when
  moisture problems arise in buildings creating
  mold growth on building materials.

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Requirements for Mold Growth

• Moisture or high relative humidity (gt60)
• Temperature between 40-100 F
• Organic matter
• Source of spores

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• The most common health effect of mold is allergic
  reaction.
• Molds can cause a variety of health risks
  dependent on the type and amount of mold present,
  and the susceptibility and sensitivity of the
  person being exposed.
• Most workers will have no reaction at all when
  exposed to mold, while others may have underlying
  health conditions that make them more sensitive
  to the effects of mold exposure.

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Allergic Reactions
• Fungal Infections
• Other

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Allergic Reactions

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Allergic Reactions cont

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Allergic Reactions cont

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Fungal Infections

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Fungal Infections cont

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Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure

• Other

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Objective

• The objective of the Mold Prevention and
  Remediation Program is to utilize prevention
  techniques to minimize the potential for mold and
  fungal growth, identify, control and remediate
  areas containing fungal growth, and to protect
  all University employees.

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Mold
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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Mold needs moisture and a food source to grow.
• The key to mold and fungus growth prevention is
  eliminating the moisture source and clean-up of
  materials within 24-48 hours.
• When any source of moisture is found, report it
  to Facilities Services for repair and dry out the
  area as soon as possible.
• Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention tips
  and the EPA Guidelines presented on pages 7 10
  of the Mold Prevention and Remediation Program
  must be followed to prevent mold and fungal
  growth.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Facilities Services and Other Maintenance
  Personnel
• Must locate the source of the moisture and
  eliminate the causative agent and
• Utilize prevention techniques to minimize the
  potential for mold and fungal growth.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Drying effectiveness is determined by
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Air Movement
• Time

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Temperature and Relative Humidity
• As temperature increases, the moisture holding
  capacity of air increases, and since moisture in
  the air remains the same, relative humidity
  decreases.
• As temperature decreases, the moisture capacity
  of air decreases, and since moisture in the air
  remains the same, relative humidity increases.
• Lower relative humidity promotes evaporation and
  drying.
• Higher relative humidity slows evaporation and
  can lead to condensation and secondary damage.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Types of Drying Systems
• Open or Natural Dehumidification doors and
  windows are open and continuous ventilation is
  provided by air movers.
• Closed or Mechanical Dehumidification use of
  dehumidification equipment with doors and windows
  closed.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Use open or natural dehumidification
• During conditions of low outside humidity and
  moderate temperatures.
• When specific humidity of outside air remains at
  20 grains per pound (gpp) or less than the
  specific humidity of the inside air.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Use closed or mechanical dehumidification when
• Outside temperature is below dew point.
• The outside humidity is high.
• Moisture is in a difficult-to-ventilate basement.
• Weather conditions are variable.
• The building has no windows or sealed windows.
• Security issues do not allow ventilation.
• There are multiple wet structural components.

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Protimeter Moisture Measurement System
• Can be used to measure
• Temperature
• Relative Humidity
• Specific Humidity
• Moisture Content of Materials
• Condensation
• Demonstration

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Water Damage Clean-Up and Mold Prevention

• Example Scenario
• A flood soaked the carpet in one of the ground
  floor rooms in a building on campus. What do you
  do?

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Water Damage Clean up and Mold Prevention

• Answer
• DRY WITHIN 24 HOURS
• Remove all material from the carpet.
• Remove the water with a water extraction vacuum.
  
• Shampoo the carpet
• Reduce humidity with dehumidifiers and use fans
  to accelerate the drying process.

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What Do I Do If I Find Mold?

• Follow cleaning and removal procedures for
  mold/fungal growth that covers an isolated area
  less than 10ft2.
• Report all visible mold/fungal growth that covers
  an isolated area of 10ft2 or more to
  Environmental Health and Safety, before further
  action is taken.
• Report all visible mold/fungal growth that would
  require destroying or removing the material to
  Environmental Health and Safety, regardless of
  area, before further action is taken.
• Report all visible mold/fungal growth in a
  Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning System
  to Environmental Health and Safety, regardless of
  area, before further action is taken.

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Hazard Assessment

• If warranted EHS will conduct a hazard
  assessment.
• Visual Inspection
• The presence of mold, water damage, or musty
  odors must be addressed immediately, beginning
  with a visual inspection.
• Ventilation systems must be visually checked for
  damp filters and other damp conditions. Ceiling
  tiles, walls, cardboard and paper must also be
  visually inspected for mold growth.
• When visible mold growth is present, the
  remediation process must begin.

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Hazard Assessment

• Sampling
• Air sampling methods for some fungi cannot be
  used to definitely rule out contamination.
• However, when visible mold growth is not present,
  but suspected, and/or an individual has been
  diagnosed with a disease that is, or may be
  associated with fungal exposure, air monitoring
  may be necessary.

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Hazard Assessment

• Sampling
• The purpose of air monitoring is to determine
  location and extent of contamination.

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Hazard Assessment

• Sampling
• Air monitoring may also be conducted to determine
  the effectiveness of the remediation by verifying
  that air concentrations of mold and fungal spores
  are similar to ambient or outdoor air.
• If air monitoring is performed, outdoor air and
  non-suspect area samples must also be collected
  for comparative purposes.

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Clean-Up and Removal

• Four levels of contamination
• Level 1 Small Isolated Areas (10 ft2 or less)
• Level 2 Mid-Sized Areas (10 ft2 100 ft2)
• Level 3 Large Areas (More than 100 ft2)
• Level 4 HVAC Contamination

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Clean-up and Removal Level 1 Small Isolated
Areas (10 ft2 or less)

• BGSU staff may conduct remediation, using wet
  methods, under the following conditions
• Mold/fungal growth remediation would not require
  destructive cleaning procedures and/or
• Mold/fungal growth to be remediated is not
  located in a HVAC system.

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Clean-up and RemovalLevel 1 Small Isolated
Areas (10 ft2 or less)cont

• Level 1 Clean Up
• The area should be unoccupied during cleaning.
• 2. Consult cleaning instructions for specific
  materials located on page 12 of the Mold
  Prevention and Remediation Program.
• 3. Wear chemical resistant gloves and chemical
  goggles during clean up. A N95 filtering face
  piece can be used on a voluntary basis according
  to the "Voluntary Use" rules covered in Personal
  Protective Equipment and Hazard Communication
  training. (See Handout)

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Clean-up and RemovalLevel 1 Small Isolated
Areas (10 ft2 or less)cont

• 4. Mist or wet the affected area with a detergent
  solution.
• 5. Leave the detergent solution on the affected
  area for five to ten minutes prior to removal.
• 6. Remove contaminated material that cannot be
  removed with a detergent solution in a sealed
  plastic bag and throw it out in regular trash.
• 7. Mop the area with a detergent solution after
  clean up and make sure all areas are left dry and
  visibly free from contamination and debris.

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Clean-up and RemovalLevel 1 Small Isolated
Areas (10 ft2 or less)

• Example Scenario
• A localized roof leak occurred wetting two
  wooden chairs with upholstered seats. The chairs
  showed signs of mold growth on the wood and
  upholstered seats. The growth was collectively
  under 10 square feet. After immediately
  notifying Facilities Services for repair, what
  measures would you take to clean the chairs?

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Clean-up and RemovalLevel 1 Small Isolated
Areas (10 ft2 or less)

• Chart
• Wood
• Method 1 Wet vacuum/steam clean
• Method 2 Damp-wipe surfaces with wood floor
  cleaner
• Method 3 HEPA vacuum after the material has
  been thoroughly dried and dispose of contents in
  a well sealed plastic bag.
• Upholstered Seat
• Method 1 Wet vacuum/steam clean
• Method 3 HEPA vacuum after the material has
  been thoroughly dried and dispose of contents in
  a well sealed plastic bag.
• Method 4 Discard and dispose of as normal waste
  in seal plastic bag.

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Clean-up and Removal

• Level 2 Mid-Sized Areas (10 ft2 100 ft2)
• Level 3 Large Areas (More than 100 ft2)
• Level 4 HVAC Contamination
• Outside contractors will perform remediation.
  Environmental Health and Safety must be consulted
  prior to remediation.

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Clean-up and Removal

• Outside Contractors
• Midwest Environmental Control, Inc.
• (419) 382 9200
• Dale Bruhl
• Scott Sellers

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Occupant Communication

• Communication with building occupants will be
  coordinated by Environmental Health and Safety.
• If a large-scale remediation project is found,
  the affected employees must be notified.
• The notification must include a description of
  the remedial measures and a timetable for
  completion.
• Individuals with health problems that
• appear to be related to bioaerosol
• exposure must see their physician
• if a problem exists.

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Summary

• How Does Mold Exposure Occur?
• Requirements for Mold Growth
• Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure
• Objective
• Water Damage Clean-Up/Mold Prevention
• What Do I Do If I Find Mold?
• Hazard Assessment
• Mold Remediation (Clean-Up/Removal)
• Occupant Communication

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Where to Get More Information

• Macher, Sc.D., M/P.H., Editor, Bioaerosols
  Assessment and Control, American Conference of
  Industrial Hygienists. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1999.
• Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial
  Buildings, U.S. EPA. April 2001.
  http//www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/images/moldremediatio
  n.pdf
• LSU Ag Center Research and Extension.
  http//www.lsuagcenter.com
• University of Minnesota. http//www.dehs.umn.edu/
  iaq/flood.html
• Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi
  in Indoor Environments, New York City Department
  of Health, Bureau of Environmental and
  Occupational Disease Epidemiology. April 2000.
  http//www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/html/epi/moldrpt1
  .html