Workers in Puerto Rico Advised of Mold Exposure Symptoms in the Work Environment

Following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico and some of its neighboring islands that suffered widespread property damage have witnessed an increase in asthma rates and respiratory issues with residents. For many, this is likely due to an increased exposure to elevated mold levels and other airborne irritants in their homes and work environments.
 
For those who suspect that they are being exposed to mold at work, there are things workers, managers and business owners should know. While there are currently no federal standards or recommendations (OSHA, NIOSH, EPA) for airborne concentrations of mold or mold spores in the workplace, the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) states that, “Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace that is free from serious recognized hazards.”
 
To address workplace exposure to mold, a number of government agencies have released bulletins and fact sheets on the topic. In 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released Preventing Occupational Respiratory Disease from Exposures Caused by Dampness in Office Buildings, Schools, and Other Nonindustrial Buildings. In it, NIOSH reports, “Research studies have shown that exposures to building dampness and mold have been associated with respiratory symptoms, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, rhinosinusitis, bronchitis, and respiratory infections. Individuals with asthma or hypersensitivity pneumonitis may be at risk for progression to more severe disease if the relationship between illness and exposure to the damp building is not recognized and exposures continue.”
 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality, Dampness and Mold. Based on the organization’s review of scientific literature, the agency found that there was sufficient epidemiological evidence to conclude that occupants of damp buildings are at risk of developing upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms, respiratory infections, asthma and exacerbation of asthma.
    
“Exposure to elevated mold levels in the work environment continues to be a serious concern for many workers in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other places across the Caribbean that suffered water damage and mold growth due to recent hurricanes,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “We strongly encourage workers, supervisors and business owners that see or smell mold, or if they or others are experiencing mold-related symptoms, to report it to the appropriate people within the company so the problem can be investigated and resolved.”
 
To help in these situations, Zimmetry’s mold and building science experts offer inspections, testing, monitoring and consulting services to identify and mitigate moldy work environments. Zimmetry has even sponsored an educational video about mold in the workplace that can be seen at:  https://youtu.be/hhjzdddTQ7o
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their building science, indoor environmental quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail