Army Headquarters Issues Order to Inspect Barracks and Other Facilities for Mold

Last month, it was reported in multiple media outlets that an executive order from Army headquarters was issued that requires the inspection of all army buildings, including barracks and offices, for mold and other substandard living conditions by November 18^th. The order comes after multiple high profile cases of mold issues at military facilities in recent years, including the relocation this summer of over 1,000 soldiers at Fort Bragg to new housing after a mold problem was discovered.

Mold will begin to grow in most indoor environments when enough moisture is present. Many common building materials, furnishing and personal belongings readily act as a food source if humidity levels are high enough or if there has been water damage.

Exposure to elevated levels of airborne spores and mold fragments can cause allergies or trigger an asthma attack in sensitive individuals. There are types of mold that could even lead to infections in some people with a weakened immune system. Even low levels of mold can cause respiratory issues for people who are particularly sensitive to its presence.

“Breathing elevated levels of mold indoors can be an issue where people live, work or go to school,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “For the nation’s military, many of the buildings where soldiers live and work were built decades ago. If not properly maintained, moisture problems could lead to mold growth from issues with the building envelop, heating and cooling system, faulty plumbing or due to local flooding events. This is why preventive maintenance is so important, as is regularly checking for moisture and humidity issues that could be conducive for the growth of mold.”

With laboratories across the United States and Canada, EMSL Analytical is available to help identify and mitigate mold problems. Their facilities offer laboratory testing services, sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, air monitoring instruments and building inspection tools to detect mold, moisture and many other indoor environmental quality (IEQ) issues.

To learn more about mold or other indoor environmental quality testing services and supplies, please visit www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675. To access mold or other IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail