You Might Have MoldFinding Mold in Any Workspace

4 Common Molds and Where They Live

Meet Your Moderator:

James Ciccone

During This Webinar All lines will be muted. Communicate via the questions tab in your

webinar panel. Unanswered questions will be personally after the

webinar. Webinar recording and slides will be emailed to

you tomorrow.

Meet Your PresenterPatrick DoyleResearch Assistant at Boston Collegedoylepe@bc.edu

Triumvirate EH&S Blog Contributor

Our Key MessageMold is an issue that’s hard to pin

down, but understanding and finding it is essential

to remediation.

Who Is This For?

Facilities Managers

To manage liability

What Will You Learn?Common types of mold

Where to seek out mold

What the presence of mold means for you

How to begin pre-remediation

Some Perspective on MoldMold is everywhere, and it’s nearly impossible to completely eliminate

You don’t need to completely get rid of mold in order to have a safe working environment

There are no federal regulations, such as PELs or TLVs for types of mold, or mold in general

If you give mold a place to grow, it will certainly grow

AgendaCommon Types of Mold

Potential Sources of Mold

Your Mold Danger Level

Case Study

Mold is a Double-Edged SwordHyphae

Accounts for visible mold growth

Rarely harmful, only if ingested

Releases spores into the air

Spores

Responsible for illness

Ubiquitous in the air

Easily measured

• Huge variety• Very common• Don’t cause visible

mold growth• Can still affect

sensitive individuals

Basidiospores

• Commonly found in plant matter, compost

• Keep an eye out if you work with a terrarium or have a compost pile!

Cladosporium

• Most prevalent during humid periods

• Includes dermatophytes

Ascospores

Penicillium/Aspergillus

Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillosis

P. marneffei

Penicillium/Aspergillus

Habitats, life cycles, and health effects of

various molds are very nuanced

Potential Sources of MoldCommon Types of Mold

Potential Sources of Mold

Your Mold Danger Level

Case Study

Primary:Use all five of your senses to assess your indoor air quality

Secondary:Persistent employee illness is a possible cause for concern

Signs of Mold Contamination

Where to Look• Plumbing• HVAC System

• Including exhaust vents• Fans• Building

Envelope/Damp Spots

How concerned are you that you might have a mold problem?

Your Mold Danger LevelCommon Types of Mold

Potential Sources of Mold

Your Mold Danger Level

Case Study

Several Factors Influence Your Mold

Danger Level

You Should Be Especially Vigilant If…

You work with children, the elderly, sick people

Your building has a history of mold or water damage

Your building’s HVAC or plumbing systems are outdated

Have a large spill of liquids that penetrates/wets walls, floors, ceilings

Reasons for High Mold Danger Levels

SummaryCommon Types of Mold

Potential Sources of Mold

Your Mold Danger Level

Case Study

Our Key MessageMold is an issue that’s hard to pin

down, but understanding and finding it is essential to remediation

Case Study: Spot Cleaning Gone Wrong

Case Study: Spot Cleaning Gone Wrong

What?

• A small, isolated mold incident at a local university

Where?

• A classroom, consistently occupied during school hours

What was done?

• Mold was quantified, assessed, remediated in a timely manner consistent with danger level and extent of contamination

Action PlanUse your senses to inspect your workplace

Create your our own mold danger level

When in doubt, seek professional assistance

Use our checklist!

QUESTIONS?

Thank You For Attending!You Will Receive: • A recording of this presentation and

a copy of this presentation• A link to a short survey• A gift to help ensure that your

building is safe from harmful mold contamination

Attend Future Events:• http://www.triumvirate.com/training/events