Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings

Course Outline

Molds have existed for over 400 million years. Every one of us is exposed to mold spores on a daily basis. However, concern about indoor exposure to mold has increased in recent years, along with public awareness that exposure to mold can cause a variety of health effects and symptoms, such as severe allergic reactions. This course provides recommendations for the prevention of mold growth and describes measures designed to protect the health of building occupants and workers involved in mold cleanup and prevention. The guidelines presented in this course will benefit engineers, architects, contractors, and others involved in building maintenance and/or mold remediation. Although they are focused on school and commercial environments, these guidelines are applicable to other building types, including residential homes. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Recognize potential health effects and risks due to exposure to molds;
• Identify the possible symptoms caused by exposure to mold.
• Follow safety tips while investigating mold and moisture problems;
• Understand the causes of mold growth;
• Recognize the source or cause of water or moisture problems;
• Understand the key steps in mold remediation;
• Evaluate a mold remediation plan;
• Identify the means to accelerate the drying process;
• Select appropriate personal protective equipment;
• Understand the different levels of containment required for mold remediation;
• Identify the four cleanup methods; and
• Understand the importance of communication with building occupants.

Course Content

In this course, you are required to study the following document:

Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (PDF, 54 pages, 4.8 MB, 2001)

This document has been prepared and published by the Indoor Environments Division (IED) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and is an excellent guideline on moisture and mold remediation. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The following is the table of content of the EPA Guideline:

INTRODUCTION

PREVENTION

INVESTIGATING, EVALUATING, AND REMEDIATING MOISTURE AND MOLD PROBLEMS

Mold Remediation – Key Steps
Plan the Remediation Before Starting Work
Remediation Plan
HVAC System
Hidden Mold
Remediation
Table 1: Water Damage – Cleanup and Mold Prevention
Table 2: Mold Remediation Guidelines
Cleanup Methods
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Containment
Equipment
How Do You Know When You Have Finished Remediation/Cleanup?

CHECKLIST FOR MOLD REMEDIATION

RESOURCES LIST

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A – GLOSSARY

APPENDIX B – INTRODUCTION TO MOLDS

Molds in the Environment
Health Effects and Symptoms Associated with Mold Exposure
Mold Toxins
Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (mVOCs)
Glucans or Fungal Cell Wall Components
Spores

APPENDIX C – COMMUNICATION WITH BUILDING OCCUPANTS

Mold in Schools

INDEX

INSERT: CHECKLIST FOR MOLD REMEDIATION

Course Summary

Molds have been around us for as long as organic material and moisture have existed. When mold problems are identified in a building, the remediation manager’s highest priority must be to protect the health and safety of the building occupants and remediators. To this end, any known or suspected health risks should be openly communicated with building occupants and remediators, and professional judgment should be exercised to adapt the guidelines to particular situations.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:

U.S. EPA - Mold and Moisture
U.S. EPA - A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home
U.S. EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings
U.S. OSHA - A Brief Guide to Mold in the Workplace
U.S. CDC - Mold Cleanup and Remediation

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

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DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDHonline.org or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered professional engineer. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

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