Mold in Schools Can Make Children Sick

The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals at Clark Seif Clark (CSC) provide comprehensive mold testing services to ensure the indoor air quality (IAQ) is safe for students and faculty.

In October the Los Angeles Times published an article entitled “Toxic schools: Could mold be the reason your child is sick?” The paper discussed the story of a six year old boy who had experienced breathing problems, headaches, vomiting and other health concerns. Once the mother of the boy discovered the child’s school was being treated for mold she moved him to another school and “his health problems vanished.”

Many school districts have witnessed their maintenance budgets slashed as state and local budgets get squeezed due to the struggling economy. The resulting postponement or elimination of preventative maintenance (PM) and capital projects turns avoidable or minor IAQ issues into major problems.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can cause illness requiring absence from school, and can cause acute health symptoms that decrease performance while at school. In addition, recent data suggest that poor IAQ can reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory.”

Clark Seif Clark, a leading provider of IEQ testing services, has extensive experience working with schools. “The goal is to prevent water incursion wherever possible and to aggressively address leaks if they occur. Water incidents from roofs, HVAC, plumbing, etc. become more frequent and more sever when budget cuts reduce preventative maintenance. Deferred maintenance can exacerbate IAQ issues.” reported Derrick A. Denis, V.P. Indoor Environmental Quality at CSC. “When building materials become and remain wet for a long period of time, typically 24 to 48 hours or more, structural damage (i.e. swelling, rust, staining, etc.) and microbial damage (such as visible mold growth, bacterial growth, etc.) are among the consequences. Humans are always exposed to molds with relatively few effects. But, when mold is allowed to grow indoors, the elevated airborne mold concentration could affect the health of the occupants. The potential health effects associated with mold exposure can be of particular concern to a limited number of a susceptible population, such as school children.”

To learn more about how CSC can help with indoor air quality, mold and other environmental issues please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark (CSC)
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both the public and private sectors address environmental issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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