August 16, 2002—Growing concerns about mold and poor indoor air quality in commercial properties has many building owners and managers scrambling for answers and in some cases, undergoing costly remediation to remove mold contamination.
Heightened awareness of mold-related health hazards can likely be attributed to the increase in lawsuits that are being filed by employees who claim poor air quality has caused serious health problems.
An August 12, 2002 article in USA Today entitled, “Employers face mold problems,” stated, “Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in the past decade and many of the largest settlements and jury awards involve commercial buildings.”
According to the article, many businesses have had to either relocate employees in alternative buildings, or undergo expensive procedures to remove mold spores, contaminated flooring and walls, as well as increase ventilation and insulation.
Molds and mildew are fungi that grow on the surfaces of objects, within pores, and in deteriorated materials. In some cases, the particles lead to allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, as well as other health problems, such as asthma and eye, nose and throat irritations.
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan recently introduced, HR 5040, “The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002.” The bill will mandate comprehensive research into mold growth, create programs to educate the public about the dangers of toxic mold, and provide assistance to victims. See the August 5, 2002 story on FMLink.
The Environmental Protection Agency has published a number of IAQ resources including tips on identifying and dealing with mold in large buildings. Topics include: Basic Mold Cleanup, Ten Things You Should Know about Mold, and Asthma and Mold.
