Dryout Releases Mold Tip Sheet for Commercial Buildings

An anonymous post to the Dryout Network in December 2006 set owner Mark Decherd on a mission - to help workers of commercial buildings get the help they need in drawing attention to mold issues in the workplace. It started with a dramatic post to his nationwide water damage restoration service.

The posting made claims of sick hospital workers suffering from sinus problems and headaches due to a "severe black mold problem." Their employer allegedly denied a problem existed. Even more dramatic, these workers worked for a Jacksonville, Florida branch of one of the leading health institutions in the world, the Mayo Clinic.

"Severe black mold problem. Many workers sick with sinus problems and headaches. Company not really dealing with us. They are denying we have a problem here. Our hands are tied in fear of getting fired for stirring up trouble. Please help us." - Mayo Clinic SICU, Jacksonville, Florida

According to Decherd, "If the Mayo Clinic can get infected with mold, any building can. At the time, we spoke to the manager of the SICU unit who was unaware of the complaint. While this particular issue may or may not have been resolved, we've discovered that mold growth in hospitals is not uncommon."

Dryout has remediated several mold issues affecting hospitals including the Veteran's Medical Center in New Orleans which came through Hurricane Katrina relatively unscathed. The building itself did not flood.

However, the basement and sub-basement did. It didn't take long before mold infiltrated the upper floors of the building. Though the water level never reached patient areas, high humidity caused mold to proliferate, affecting the entire building. Engineers later determined that it would cost far too much to refurbish the building. Instead, a new hospital is being built.

It doesn't take much moisture for mold to thrive. Because mold spores are everywhere, all buildings, even the cleanest of hospitals, are at risk. Mold spores are microscopic and travel through the air. Air conditioning systems can inadvertently circulate both the spores and the moisture on which they flourish. Condensation, high humidity, water leaks, and minor basement flooding can all contribute to the spread of unwanted mold throughout a building.

"What concerned me about Mayo Clinic post was that the employees were evidently not being taken seriously." Should black mold be cause for alarm? Decherd thinks so. "Whether the problem is festering in a hospital or a home, health issues are linked to inhaling mold and its potentially toxic byproducts."

Dryout wasn't able to perform a mold assessment at the hospital at the time of the complaint but that didn't stop Decherd. "I understand that I can't possibly inspect every commercial building for mold but I can educate building owners and managers about the danger lurking within their walls." With that, the Tip Sheet for Dealing with Mold in Commercial Buildings was born. Today, he announced that this tip sheet is available for download on his website, Dryout.net.

While the mold that crippled the Veteran's Medical Center is an extreme case, not all buildings with severe mold issues must be demolished. Mold removal and cleanup is possible. While many building administrators choose to ignore the problem at first, doing so could prove to be more costly in the long run. Armed with this tip sheet, employees concerned about their workplace can make their case and air their concerns.