Employer & Workplace Mould Problems


[Aug. 23, 2003]

Q. I work in a basement... part of it has carpet that over the last couple of years not only has been wet several times and allowed to just "dry out", sewage has overflowed on the carpet about 6 months ago and nothing was done about that either. I stay sick with sinus and throat infections that's gotten worse over the last few months, I keep asking my employer to get the carpet out, but they haven't done anything yet,,,,,, How dangerous, health wise is this for me? Can other problems arise besides the infections? If I hand over "proof" to my employers maybe they'll do something??! Please Help

A. Your first step should be to use our do it yourself mould test kits with our expert mould laboratory mould analysis to mould test the air in your office, plus the airflow out of your office's heating/cooling duct registers. What you are testing for is the possible elevated level of airborne mould spores, especially in comparison to an outdoor control test, which if present, would indicate a likely serious mould infestation problem. Visit: Mould Mart. The existence of carpet that was left wet more than 24 hours and sewage spills guarantees that you are living in mould filth, very much to the detriment of your health. You should learn more about mould health problems by visiting the mould health sections of Mould Types and Mould Inspector Website. Once you have back our mould laboratory results, if those results document a mould problem in your work place, you should send a certified letter [with a copy of the mould lab results] to your employer demanding to work elsewhere in a mould-safe work environment until your work area has been professionally mould inspected, tested, and remediated. To learn what is required is effective mould removal, please visit: Mould Removal If you have a mould problem that your employer refuses to take care, please note that it is a safety violation for the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration [OSHA] for an employer to have workers working in a mould-contaminated work place.

[Aug. 20, 2003]

Q. I have recently become aware of mould in a building in which I work. The type of building I work in is a double wide. The mould was found on the right side of the building, I work in the left. It has been near the vents and has just started growing on the tables in one of the rooms. We share the same air conditioning vent throughout the entire building. Some days, it is very humid in my building. Is this dangerous to all employees of the building? Also, I am 25 weeks pregnant. Can the mould in the other side of the building harm me or my unborn child?
 

 A. Living or working in a mould contaminated area can cause birth defects and miscarriages. In view of the serious mould problem in your work place, you ought to seriously consider asking your employer to provide you with a mould-safe place to work for the remainder of your pregnancy. Of course, your health and the health of your associates is in jeopardy by working in a moldy building. You should insist in writing by certified mail to your immediate supervisor that the entire building and its heating/cooling equipment and ducts be inspected and mould tested by a Certified Mould Inspector [Janitorial and Sanitation]. If your employer is lax about complying, you can do your own mould testing of the rooms' air and of the outward air flow from heating/cooling ducts using our do it yourself mould test kits with mould laboratory analysis [Mould Mart]. Requiring workers to work in a mould-contaminated workplace is usually considered to be a violation of the safety laws enforced by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration [OHSA]. If your employer takes no action for effective mould inspection, testing, and remediation, with safe work place alternative for you during mould remediation, consider filing a complaint with OSHA. You can also hire an environmental attorney to pursue your legal rights against your employer [Mould Lawyer].
 

[July 29, 2003]

Q. My mother works for a company and sometimes has to open up freight which comes from other countries.  Every time she opens these boxes she has gotten sick.  The first 2 times she was having trouble breathing, tightness to the chest, etc. After she got sick the last time she didn't open any more freight until last Tuesday.  After she got home that day from work she was talking on the phone to my sister and just all of a sudden started coughing and spitting up large amounts of blood.  Her room mate took her to the emergency room and the doctors had no idea what was going on.  Her white blood cell count was very high.  At one point they put her in ICU so a nurse could watch her closely.  They did a brachialoscopy and found blood clots.  My mother told them what she suspected it was, but nobody seems to believe her.  They went back in 2 days ago for another brachialscopy and flushed out her lungs.  Is there a chance that there is some kind of mould that is in the cardboard boxes when being shipped to this company?

A. It is very possible that mould contamination can be present in either the merchandise or business inventory or in the shipping containers in which the merchandise or inventory items were shipped.. mould is a big world-wide problem. When containers are shipped via ocean cargo ships, the contents are exposed to high humidity air [from the ocean] which can encourage mould growth. Regardless of the causes of the mould problems, it would be wise for your mother's company to pay for environmental, microbiological, and mould testing of any merchandise or shipping containers that cause health problems for your mother to help identify the causes of your mother's medical problems, whether those causes are mould spores, bacteria, or viruses. For do it yourself mould test kits to test merchandise and containers, visit: Mould Mart.  Even more basic, is there a safer place for your mother to work, either at her current work place, or by getting another job [easier said than done in today's tough job market]?

To Read Occupational Health & Safety Administration Workplace mould Guidelines, visit: OHSA Workplace Mould   To read news articles on workplace mould problems, visit: Mould-At-Work.

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Also visit these pages---
[New Home Mould][ Fire, Flood, and Water Damage Restoration Mould Mould] [Mould Photo]
[Mould Protocol] [Wood Siding Mould] [Mould Inside Wall] [Manufactured Home Mould] [Rental Home Apartment FAQ] [Mould Test Kits for Carpeting and Padding] [Condominium Mould Problems] [Employer & Workplace Mould Problems] [ Hurricanes and Mould Problems] [Church Mould Problems] [Air Conditioning Mould Test]

Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold Solutions

Phil can help you fix your own property’s mold problems at low-cost, more safely, and better-in- results than what is done by many mold inspectors and mold contractors.  How can Phil help you?

     1. Read Phil’s five plain-English, mold advice books to master mold inspection, testing, removal, remediation, and prevention for your house, condo, apartment, office,  or workplace.

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     3. Get FREE mold advice, mold help, and/or answers to your mold questions, by emailing mold expert Phillip Fry at envirodangers@yahoo.com. You can also email pictures of your mold problems in jpeg file format as email attachments.