Molds

Jan 17, 2002 10:39 AM

Q: What about non-porous materials that become wet as a result of a flood or leak? Do they have to be removed as well?

A: No. Materials that don’t absorb water — such as the tops of metal desks or file cabinets and concrete, cement or tile floors — can be cleaned by the custodial staff using a detergent solution. Custodians should not use ammonia or ammonia-containing cleansers, because residual ammonia can encourage mold growth.

Q: We just had a flood. Can we save any furnishings and materials that got wet?

A: If carpets or other furnishings become soaked with water, the school may be able to avoid replacement if the custodian dries them aggressively within 24 hours. Aggressive drying might involve sending carpets out for professional cleaning or hanging them to dry in front of several powerful fans or heaters. Carpets that are clean and dry within 24 hours after a flooding rarely have mold growth. It becomes increasingly harder to save those that remain wet for many days.

The same holds true for books and other educational materials: If they’re dried quickly, you may be able to save them; if not, as difficult as they may be to replace, throw them out rather than risk mold.

Q: What about materials that were dampened by sewage-contaminated water.

A: Don’t try to save any materials if a flood involves sewage-contaminated water. Exposure to sewage carries a risk of infection with the hepatitis A virus.

Q: Weeks ago, the ceiling tiles in my classroom were damaged by a roof leak, but they are dry now and no one is complaining about allergic reactions. Does our school need to remove them?

A: Yes. Water-damaged materials can support mold growth long after they appear dry. And even after molds die, mold spores and other mold debris can remain and cause allergic reactions.

Q: There are no signs of water damage in my classroom, but some of us are experiencing severe allergic symptoms. Our school is a closed building (no operable windows) and we depend entirely on the HVAC system for fresh air. Could molds be traveling through the ventilation system?

A: Yes. The HVAC system can serve as a highway for molds traveling from contaminated areas in other parts of the building. Or the HVAC system, itself, may have become contaminated with molds.

Q: What can be done about a contaminated HVAC system?

A: That depends on the problem. Your custodian should pay particular attention to the following HVAC components: cooling coils, the cooling coils drainage area and ductwork downstream from the cooling coils. Contaminated drip pans may need to be cleaned and repositioned to ensure proper drainage. Contaminated air duct insulation may need to be removed and replaced with materials that are more resistant to mold growth.

Q: Some of our staff and students are having allergy-type problems that may be related to molds. But when we inspected the school we couldn’t identify any areas where molds may be growing. What should we do?

A: Ask your chapter leader to call in the district representative, who will refer the matter to the UFT’s Safety and Health Committee. The committee will arrange to visit the school, identify problems and recommend remedial action.

Q: Will the union or the Department of Education take air samples? Will they take samples of moldy materials for laboratory analysis?

A: Air sampling is expensive, takes time, is sometimes unreliable and in most cases is not necessary. There are no numerical standards for mold in air and the government has not established any regulated exposure limits. A better indicator of a possible mold problem is the presence of water damage or visible mold growth on building materials and/or furnishings. A visual inspection will identify the presence of molds and the source of excess moisture. Once the source of moisture is eliminated and the damaged materials are replaced, the health problems usually are resolved.

Q: Does the process of removing water-damaged materials pose any hazards?

A: Yes. Disturbing moldy materials can release tiny mold particles into the air, making it even more likely that staff and students will inhale them and experience allergic-type reactions.

Q: What can be done to protect school occupants during removal work?

A: Water-damaged materials must be removed in a manner that minimizes the release of mold spores and other mold debris into the air. This applies to removal of books, files and furnishings as well as construction materials such as ceiling tiles and wallboard.

Plastic sheeting can confine debris to the work area. Once materials are removed and bagged, room surfaces can be cleaned with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) vacuum to ensure removal of dust particles not visible to the naked eye. Whenever possible, clean-up work should be scheduled when the area is not occupied. If asbestos materials or materials painted with lead-based paint are to be removed, special precautions must be followed as required by city, state and federal regulations as well as DOE policy and the UFT contract.

Q: Should school personnel participate in removal work?

A: No. Removal of water-damaged materials as well as other flood clean-up work should be handled by custodial staff, the Department’s Division of School Facilities (DSF) or the School Construction Authority, depending on the nature of the work.

Q: Our school administration wants to replace water-damaged materials and repair leaks and our custodian has submitted the appropriate paperwork requesting the repairs, but DSF has not responded. What should we do?

A: Ask your chapter leader to notify your UFT district representative who, in turn, will contact the UFT Safety and Health Committee. The committee will do a visual inspection of the school, recommend remedial action, and follow up with the DSF until appropriate work is done. The union has an excellent track record in obtaining necessary repairs for mold problems.

Q: Tell me more about the union’s experience helping schools with mold problems.

A: The union has helped staff in dozens of schools to end mold problems so that they and their students could return to their classrooms without troubling allergic reactions.

At an elementary school in Staten Island, for example, a number of students and teachers were suffering from allergy-type symptoms. Some parents were so upset that they demanded to have their children sent to a different school. When the UFT’s health and safety experts inspected, they discovered water-damaged ceiling tiles in several rooms. Once the leaks were repaired and the tiles removed, the troubling symptoms were virtually eliminated.

At a high school in the Bronx, staff had been experiencing shortness of breath and one teacher was hospitalized with severe bronchitis. Staff suspected that the problems were related to lack of fresh air in rooms located below ground level, but tests by the UFT’s industrial hygienist showed that the flow of air from the ventilation system was adequate. The hygienist did find, however, that a large quantity of mold had developed on some pipe insulation. Once again, removal of the damaged material and control of moisture sources alleviated the health problems.

Besides inspecting schools and pushing the DSF to resolve mold problems, the UFT:

• Lobbies for funding to repair school exteriors to prevent water infiltration and moist conditions conducive to mold growth.
• Collaborates with the American Lung Association, the New York City Department of Health and the DOE to educate staff, parents and children about mold as a potential trigger of asthma.