Identifying Mold to Mitigate Exposure Risks in the Built Environment

Mold can be found throughout the environment and it is key part of the ecosystem; however, exposure to elevated levels of mold in the places people live, work, go to school, or spend time can cause potential health issues for some individuals. This is due to the fact that mold is known to be an allergen, irritant, asthma trigger, and in some cases, the cause of opportunistic infections or the source of toxic substances known as mycotoxins.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Breathing elevated levels of mold may even cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), a condition that resembles bacterial pneumonia. In addition, exposure to some types of mold may result in opportunistic infections in people with a weakened or suppressed immune system.

The agency also warns that allergic reactions to mold are common. These can be immediate or delayed and may include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. Mold can even cause an asthma attack in some people with asthma who are allergic to mold.

“The key to preventing indoor mold problems is to control moisture in the built environment,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “The moisture could be due to flooding, water leaks, faulty plumbing, or humidity issues. To help prevent health concerns or infection risks with vulnerable populations, the indoor environmental quality, infection control, and industrial hygiene professionals at CTSI offer building assessments, testing, monitoring, consulting, and training services to identify and mitigate exposure risks to mold and other microbial contaminants. These services help to optimize indoor environmental conditions for all building occupants.”

CTSI also recently sponsored an educational video about mold exposure and potential health effects that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/AutQ1XA37qk

To learn more about this or other building science, infection control, industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail