Transcript A Brief Overview for Building Maintenance Rowan University Department of Environmental Health and Safety.

A Brief Overview for Building Maintenance
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
Mold Overview
 Wide variety of molds may be present in building
materials
 Common ones include:
 Alternaria
 Aspergillus
 Penicillium
 Stachybotrys
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Mold Overview
 Fungi can be
 Toxigenic
 Pathogenic
 Allergenic
 Irritant
 Some Fungi are beneficial and required for good
health.
 All effect individuals differently.
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Mold Overview
 Adverse effects
 Runny nose, dermatitis and headaches to aggravation of
asthma, allergic reactions and hypersensitivity
pneumonitis.
 Toxic effects have only been observed in laboratory
settings. Indoor environments cannot present this level
of exposure.

Exceptions-Silos, post disaster conditions, confined spaces
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Mold Overview
 Chronic Exposure
 Claims of Memory Loss, Peripheral Neuropathy,
Diminished Capacity, Loss of Consort, and many other
significant illnesses
 Medical Experts do not concur.
 Would be unlikely to find all cases are unrelated.
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Mold Overview
 Actual fungal infection in construction is rare (e.g.
aspergillosis, histoplasmosis)
 Most infected persons have only minor symptoms
and recover naturally
 Small percentage of the population (@ 5%) may
suffer more severe infections
 Persons usually have pre-existing condition that makes
them susceptible (e.g. immune system impairment)
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Mold Overview
 Current medical tests can only document exposure to
fungi has occurred.
 Tests cannot determine source, place, or time of
exposure.
 Exposure to fungi occurs naturally in both the indoor
and outdoor environments
 Medical tests are of limited use.
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The Role of Moisture
Moisture
Nutrient
Fungal
Spores
 Mold needs water to grow
Temperature
 Liquid Water
 Water Vapor impacting surfaces
 Other growth requirements are met in every
building
 The only component that can be reasonably
controlled is moisture
Hillmann Environmental Group, LLC
Reasons for Mold Growth on
Building Materials
 Moisture accumulation = mold growth
 Design or construction flaws (improper vapor barriers,
leaky roof, failure to provide drainage at foundation
walls, etc)
 Events such as pipe leaks or flooding
 Failure to protect building materials in storage on job
 Over air-conditioning
 Modern, energy efficient buildings, appear more
susceptible
 Airtight construction inhibits drafts and airflow
that dry out damp materials
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Reasons for Mold Growth on
Building Materials
 Shipment of New Material may gather moisture.
 Phasing of Project may allow new Material to be
Exposed to Elements.
 Once Installed, Possibilities Exist for Accidental
Moisture Intrusion.
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 Obvious indicators
of Microbial growth
and Contamination
are:
 Visible growth
 Musty Odors resulting
from:

Active Growth

Digestion while
degrading substrates
Water Damaged Materials
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
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Water Damaged Materials
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
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Water Damaged Materials
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
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Water Damaged Materials
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
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Water Damaged Materials
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
Mold Awareness
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Assessing the Situation
 New York City DOH Guidelines on Assessment and
Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments
“A visual inspection is the most important initial step in
identifying a possible contamination problem.”
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Assessing the Situation
 In most cases visual inspection will be sufficient to
identify areas that require remediation.
 Be sure all contaminated areas are identified.
 In wallboard material mold growth may extend up to 1
meter beyond what is visible.
 Inaccessible areas may be your largest concern; Behind
wallboard, under wallpaper, below rugs, etc.
 A moisture meter can be useful in assessing porous
materials that may be contaminated and should be
disposed.
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Assessing the Situation
 Contractors frequently ask if sampling or air
monitoring should be done
 The New York DOH Guidelines state:
“Bulk or surface sampling is not required to undertake a
remediation.”
“Air sampling for fungi should not be part of a routine
assessment......decisions about appropriate remediation
strategies can usually be made on the basis of visual
inspection”
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Assessing the Situation
 Currently there are no occupational exposure
limits for fungi in the work place
 ACGIH is steering clear of numerical values*
 Must put sampling in context – indoor vs. outdoor
concentrations, species diversity
 If bulk or air monitoring is desired, an experienced
professional should be retained

Viable vs. Non-viable Sampling
 A laboratory accredited by the AIHA Environmental
Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation Program
(EMLAP) should analyze any samples
* ACGIH 1999 Bioaerosols Assessment & Control
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Fungal Contamination During
Construction or Renovation
 Contractors are aware of fungal problems from
bird or bat droppings
 Typically encountered during rehab of older buildings,
especially those with attics
 Increased likelihood that contractors may
encounter moldy building materials
 Materials include drywall, ceiling tiles, carpeting, etc.
 Common during rehabilitation of historic buildings
 Buildings subject to flooding or having poor drainage
 Upgrading of buildings in use
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Fungal Contamination During
Construction or Renovation
 New Construction
 Microbial Control Specifications being designed into
more Construction Documents
 Building Owners are placing burden on Contractor to
control future microbial growth
 Manufacturers are more aware of mold concerns
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Remediation Guidelines
 There are no federal regulations regarding mold
remediation at this time.
 NYC DOH are common guidelines
 NADCA has extensive guidance
 The most important action is to stop all sources of
moisture and dry out materials as quickly as possible
using fans and dehumidifiers.
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Remediation Guidelines
 Ozone air cleaners
 Not recommended – don’t waste money!
 A study by US EPA (EPA-600/R-95-154 Oct. 1995)
demonstrated that ozone is not effective for killing airborne
fungi even at high concentrations (6-9 ppm)
 Ion Precipitators-Have not proven to be effective
 Charcoal Filtration for odor control
 Face velocity is nearly always too high for effective capture
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Regulations
 OSHA Regulations
 Contractors should be aware of other OSHA regulations
that may be triggered during a mold remediation
project:
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29CFR1926.103 - Respiratory protection
29CFR1926.102 - Eye and face protection
29CFR1926.59 - Hazard Communications
29CFR1926.51 – Sanitation
 General Duty Clause!
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Additional Information
 Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of
Fungi in Indoor Environments
 New York City Department of Health; Bureau of
Environmental & Occupational Disease Epidemiology
 Bioaerosols, Assessment & Control (2nd Edition)
 ACGIH
 American Industrial Hygiene Association
 Biosafety Committee
 Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation
Program
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Additional Information
 National Air Duct Cleaners Association
 American Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air
Conditioning Engineers
 Internet Sources…Endless!
 IIRC Guidelines- S500/S520
 The Environmental Health and Safety Office
 [email protected]
 x-5105
 EHS Website-Concern Form
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ANY QUESTIONS
Rowan University
Department of Environmental
Health and Safety
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