Good Advice from the Government

Federal guidelines for mold prevention have been given to an elementary school in Greensboro, North Carolina. Guidelines which include monitoring the health of its employees. Oak Ridge Elementary School was closed from June 2009 through February 2010 due to mold and dampness issues. According to this news article:

Employees and students had complained of illnesses since the building opened in 2005 after undergoing major renovations and additions. The complaints led the district to bring in groups to inspect the school, including a private firm and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in summer 2009.

Some of the recommendations (offered in the final federal report):

- Follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedules for maintaining the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.

- Routinely monitor the school in a standardized way for possible re-occurrence of dampness.

- Walk through the entire school and check for water incursion during and after heavy rains.

- Correct the cause of any identified dampness problems and clean or remove water-damaged materials.

- Avoid routine use of biocides (which are used to clean mold).

- Monitor for possible reoccurrence of building-related symptoms, if needed, with occupant health questionnaires.

A television news report on this story can be viewed here.