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It’s not just the home that can become a playground for mould spores – it can appear pretty much anywhere, both indoors and outdoors all year round.

An office or other workplace environments can also be quickly adopted by mould especially if there is water damage, it has high humidity or dampness, and is likely to thrive unless tackled appropriately.

It is estimated that there is up to 100 common indoor mould types that have the potential for creating health problems if an individual is exposed to it on a regular basis as part of their everyday working activities.

Exposure to moulds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, nose bleeds, nausea or wheezing. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to moulds, may have more severe reactions.

How to prevent mould in the workplace

To ensure your team is safe and not breathing in harmful fungi micro-organisms, it is paramount that mould is prevented in the workplace.

Here are ten tips on how to prevent moisture and ultimately mould:

1. Find and repair any plumbing leaks and any leaks in the building structure as soon as possible.

2. Pinpoint areas where leaks have occurred, identify the causes, and take preventive action to ensure that they do not reoccur.
3. Look for condensation and wet spots. Fix source(s) of spreading moisture as soon as possible.
4. Prevent moisture from condensation by increasing surface temperature or reducing the moisture level in the air (humidity). To increase surface temperature, insulate or increase air circulation. To reduce the moisture level in the air, repair leaks, increase ventilation (if outside air is cold and dry), or dehumidify (if outdoor air is warm and humid).
5. Keep Heating Ventilation and Aircon (HVAC) drip pans clean, flowing properly, and unobstructed.
6. Perform regular scheduled building/HVAC inspections and maintenance, including filter changes.
7. Maintain indoor relative humidity below 70% (25 – 60%, is the recommended level if possible).
8. Vent moisture-generating appliances, such as dryers, to the outside where possible and vent cooking areas and bathrooms according to local code requirements.
9. Clean and dry wet or damp spots as soon as possible, but no longer than 48 hours after discovery.
10. Provide adequate drainage around buildings and slope the ground away from building foundations. Follow all local building codes.

How we can help

We use the latest technology to perform spore mould inspection, sampling and testing in the workplace. The samples are collected using impact samplers and mould genus identification testing is then carried out by our professional accredited laboratory team.

Our expert technicians will perform a series of exposure sample testing to determine whether your building poses a potential health hazard from mould exposure.

The mould inspection involves gathering surface samples and/or monitoring viable airborne spore levels. We will then make recommendations in relation to the level of risk and actions you could take to control exposure for your workforce and any visitors to your business.

If support, guidance and sampling is what you require, give the Euro Environmental team a call on 0870 7019170.