Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
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18 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com I n December 2013, a vicious ice storm swept across Eastern Canada, from Ontario to the Maritimes. Frozen and burst pipes, water leaks, broken drainage systems, roof destruction and fl ooding were just some of the issues it left in its tracks, causing a total of $3.2 billion in damages, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Whether it's a natural disaster or a run-of-the-mill water leak, employers might fi nd themselves with a lingering problem: mould. There are many varieties of mould, with many varying effects. We eat mould (such as blue cheese). We make medicine from fungus (such as penicillin). But some forms produce dangerous mycotoxins — toxins that slowly wear down the immune system, which can lead to respiratory problems. Moisture or high-humidity envi- ronments can result in the growth of mould, fungus or yeast, and that can pose a serious hazard in the workplace. And exposure to a biological con- taminant is a personal hot button to most people. If people think they're breathing something that's unsafe, they tend to have a strong emotional reaction, says Christopher Liddy, occu- pational health and safety specialist with the Hamilton, Ont.-based Cana- dian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). NEGATIVE REACTIONS In most cases, someone who reacts to mould will experience asthma- like symptoms: runny nose, nasal congestion, eye irritation, cough or congestion, rashes, headaches, fatigue or the aggravation of asthma. In rare cases it can lead to hypersensitivity meningitis (scarring of the lungs). In other cases, there are no symptoms whatsoever. But workers with a poor or weak- ened immune system (such as someone going through chemother- apy) could be at risk of developing a fungal infection. Regardless, "you don't want to have an offi ce where you have a sinus head- ache all the time," says Bruce Stewart, senior vice-president, indoor air qual- ity and laboratory services, at Pinchin Environmental in Mississauga, Ont. Compared to hazards like asbestos, which can cause disease 30 years later, exposure to mould will have an imme- diate health effect, he says. But mould is fairly ubiquitous in that it's almost everywhere — there are mould spores in the air we breathe, says Liddy. To be a problem in a build- ing, there has to be the presence of mould combined with a source of nutrient and moisture. Unlike many chemicals, there isn't always a cut-and- dry answer about how to handle it and determine if it is dangerous or not. "There does tend to be a perception that there is one type of mould — it's black and it's really bad," says Liddy. "(But) there's so much variation." There's no magic number, no safe or unsafe level, adds Weston Henry, principal and senior occupational hygienist at Safetech Environmental in Mississauga, Ont. ASSESSMENT Assessing the workplace for mould often comes down to comparison sampling and interpretation of results, says Henry. But because mould can vary over space and time — some become active at certain times of the day or certain periods of the year — employers can't haphazardly collect samples, says Liddy. That further com- plicates the issue. He recommends developing a sam- pling plan. For instance, if there was a water leak in the building last week and you suspect there might be mould causing symptoms in employees, test that theory by taking samples, testing the air and testing the wall to see if there's moisture. Consider hiring a consultant because this process could involve employees divulging personal medi- cal information, says Liddy. By Vawn Himmelsbach BREAKING THE MOULD WOOD, UPHOLSTERY AND CEILING TILES ARE JUST A FEW PLACES WHERE DANGEROUS MOULD COULD BE HIDING