Mold Safety

Mold is a fungi that can be found everywhere —both outdoors and indoors, all times of the year. When present in large quantities, molds have the potential to cause adverse health effects. Here’s some important information about mold safety.

Health effects of mold exposure include:

  • Sneezing
  • Cough and congestion
  • Runny nose
  • Aggravation of asthma
  • Eye irritation
  • Dermatitis

People at largest risk of health effects from mold include: Individuals with allergies, asthma, lung disease or sinusitis. Also, people with weakened immune systems are susceptible to mold health effects.

You can recognize mold by its sight and smell. Mold is usually appears as colored woolly mats. It often produces a foul, musty, earthy smell.

Preventing mold growth:

  • Remove excess moisture with a wet-dry vacuum and dry out the building as quickly as possible.
  • Use fans to assist in the drying process.
  • Clean wet materials and surfaces with detergent and water.
  • Discard all water damaged materials.
  • Discard all porous materials that have been wet for more than 48 hours.

Disclaimer: The information and suggestions contained in these safety talks are believed to be reliable. However, the authors of the topics and the owners of this web site accept no legal responsibility for the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or suggestions contained within these topics. These guidelines do not supercede local, state, or federal regulations and must not be construed as a substitute for, or legal interpretation of, any OSHA regulations.