Sometimes working in a small confined space can be difficult. There isn’t any privacy and if the people around you have a cold then the chance of you catching it are significantly increased. The saying goes “familiarity breeds contempt,” and in this case familiarity can breed mold.
Sometimes working in a small confined space can be difficult. There isn’t any privacy and if the people around you have a cold then the chance of you catching it are significantly increased. The saying goes “familiarity breeds contempt,” and in this case familiarity can breed mold.
Often times the first signs of a mold infestation is not actually seeing black stuff growing on the ceiling or wall. Often times it starts off looking like allergies or a cold. Most of the time people will begin to feel really bad while they are at work. The first few times it happens it is dismissed as a cold or allergies.
The key to deciding if it might be a mold problem is on the weekends or on a vacation. If it is mold then simply removing yourself from the moldy environment can help. In fact most don’t realize what is happing at first, but slowly the puzzle pieces are put together. You feel bad at work and when you’re away you feel better. This becomes a tough sell to management and to yourself, after all whoever heard of work making somebody sick?!
In this case work is making you sick. There is a possibility that there might be mold growing in your office. Mold can cause people to experience allergy like reactions or even flu like symptoms! Mold is serious stuff, and should be removed immediately.
Mold is caused by moisture and a dark warm environment mixing over a period of48-72 hours. It doesn’t take long for mold spores to start growing and once they start, they can spread quickly. Typically in the early stages of mold you cannot see it; sometimes you can smell it but not always. Often when employees are ill at work but then go home and feel better that is a classic sign of possible mold. But to know for certain that there is a mold issue an air quality test must be performed.
If that sounds like you then it is recommended that you speak with your supervisor. An Industrial Hygienist will be hired to come out and run some tests. The hygienist will take some air samples and maybe even a surface sample or core sample of the wall to be certain that all possible areas for mold have been tested. If you need to have the air quality of your building tested then click hereto find an industrial hygienist in your area.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
