1. Mold – Things Gone Wrong
Tom Hamilton, CIH
OccuHealth, Inc.
44 Wood Avenue
Mansfield, MA
4/10/2019

2. Mold – Things Gone Wrong
Purpose is to present a situation where the mold got out of control due to:
Homeowner/Owner Ignorance
Remediation Contractor Blunders
Disagreement between insurance company and owner in regard to coverage for water and mold damage due to owner negligence.
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5. Health Effects
Media headlines and inaccurate information lead to occupant paranoia, distrust and a sense of helplessness.
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6. Where Is Mold?
All surfaces and well as the indoor air contain mold spores and are not sterile
Mold spores grow from moisture in combination with a nutrient. Nutrients can be common household dust, wood, paper, etc.
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7. Health Effects Nearly everyone responds differently
No one knows the exact exposure that ‘sensitizes’ people
In general, many fungi are allergenic
More than 60 species are known to produce allergens that cause hay fever and asthma.
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8. “Risky Molds” Stachybotrys chartarum Aspergillus Versicolor
Aspergillus Fumigatis
Aspergillus Flavus
Fusarium moniliforme
Finding amplifications of these molds indoors is not typical and requires a risk management decision.
4/10/2019

9. ACGIH Bioaerosol Position
There are no TLVs for interpreting environmental measurements of…
Total fungi found
Specific culturable or countable molds
Infections agents
Assayable biological contaminants – MVOCs, antigens, etc.
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10. Total Bioaerosols - Problems
There are no established exposure limits for molds
Human responses range from none to serious for a material, therefore, an appropriate exposure limit for one bioaerosol may be entirely inappropriate for another.
It is not possible to collect and evaluate all bioaerosol components using a single sampling method.
Information relating bioaerosol concentrations to health effects is generally insufficient to describe exposure response.
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11. Guidelines on Molds AIHA Health Canada
NYC Department of Health: Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments, 2000.
ACGIH
WHO
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13. Case Study – Home in MA Homeowner left for vacation
Came back and found water from broken heater pipe in basement level was flooding lower level
Owner panicked and drove to Logan airport, flew to Minneapolis
Neighbors reported water running down driveway to town water department ~2 weeks later
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14. Case Study Town water department shut off water
Owner finally returned ~4 weeks later to find something like this…..
At this time she finally called her insurance company.
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24. Air Testing With Airocells
Air Testing for total airborne mold spores was conducted
Results show very high levels of airborne mold spores, especially Aspergillus
All persons entering home must wear PPE
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25. Case Study - Remediation
Remediation plan involved gutting the entire home, three stories - contents
Insurance company considered rejecting claim, and public adjuster threatened lawsuit
Homeowner was put on drugs and nearly had nervous breakdown
Industrial hygienist was used as a pawn between adjusters – why?
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26. Closure Home was eventually cleaned and rebuilt
Industrial Hygienist got paid, most friends believe he dodged a bullet (like Neo in the Matrix)
Remediation contractor still waiting to be paid (since 2003)
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27. Finding Mold
Moisture – water reservoirs or building materials wet more then 48 hours
Nutrients – dirt, dust, soiled surfaces, carpets, wood, latex paint, drywall
Lack of Ventilation – lack of disturbance, lack of competing molds
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28. General Remediation Actions
Fix the moisture cause that led to the growth
Remove moldy materials under negative pressure containment in such a manner that dusts and spores are not dispersed into adjacent clean or occupied areas
Biocide treatment or encapsulation of moldy surfaces does no substitute for physical removal of the contaminants
Remove all fine particles from the formerly moldy area through damp wiping and/or HEPA vacuuming prior to installation of new finishes in the occupied space
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29. Remediation How to remediate Does it have to be removed?
Use negative air, use positive air, have a neutral zone
Does it have to be removed?
Clean it, spray it, encapsulate it
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30. Being Proactive
Document everything
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31. Being Proactive Eliminate water accumulations and dampness
Keep interior RH less than 60%
Avoid the use of fleecy extended surface materials where dampness occurs
Dry building infrastructure as rapidly as possible following a leak or a flood
Develop a plan of action for dealing with moisture problems such as spills or floods. Remove moisture hidden within the building infrastructure.
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32. Being Proactive - Checklist
Is there evidence of current or past water damage?
Is visible mold present on interior finishes and construction materials?
Are moisture problems evident in the building envelope?
Is there evidence of hidden microbial growth, such as musty odors?
Do moisture levels indicate a problem with RH levels?
Are porous materials such as carpet and insulation present in damp areas?
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34. Tom Hamilton, CIH OccuHealth, Inc. 44 Wood Avenue Mansfield, MA 02048
4/10/2019