Mould – A Dangerous Invisible Threat
It wasn’t until I saw my 9-month-old daughter laying in hospital that I truly understood the implications of mould on human health and the importance of professional mould testing. I knew it was dangerous, but it wasn’t real for me until I realised that treating mould related lung issues is extremely tough, and the impact can be so substantial.
Let’s move back a few steps and put this all into context.
I am a senior occupational hygiene consultant working in my own business. I am also trained in microbial investigations and indoor environmentalism. In January 2016, my hometown received 80mm of rain in two hours. The city flooded, and my house, at the lower end of a suburban cul-de-sac, had a stream of water running through it. The entire bottom floor was underwater. Most of the items were beyond repair. I notified my insurance company, and they conducted a “make-safe” remediation. I couldn’t live in the house, so I trusted the work would be done correctly.
Fast forward five months and we are sitting in a hospital, my daughter is not responding to antibiotics, and the doctor raises mould as a possible issue. I immediately flick it off as not possible, then it hits me. What if my house was not remediated appropriately? The following day we conducted a comprehensive mould testing and indoor air quality assessment (monitoring for airborne mould).
The mould testing results were unbelievable.
My house had mould at levels 8,000 times higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) exposure standards, and most relevant were the ducted heating vents (which were neither replaced nor cleaned), providing numbers of active mould cultures in the vicinity of 10,000 Colony Forming Units (CFU).
I physically felt ill.
No wonder I had a child in hospital with pneumonia symptoms. A licensed mould remediation company did the clean-up, but there was no independent validation testing to confirm thoroughness. Post-remediation mould testing would have prevented these issues.
Thankfully my daughter recovered, but I now truly understand the need to be thorough when dealing with flood events and importantly, challenging the integrity of mould remediation works. This scary, but true story, led me to guarantee my company would never let another family go through what I did.
5 essential mould testing lessons you should definitely take away with you:
- Just because you can’t see mould, don’t assume it’s not present.
- Don’t assume everybody views water damage the same way.
- Ask questions and challenge what you know.
- Always use a reputable mould remediator for any commissioned work.
- Always have an independent company interrogate and certify that the mould remediation works were conducted appropriately.
Scaada Group provides environmental and project management services, mould testing Geelong, regional Victoria and beyond. Scaada Group’s Occupational Hygiene consultants are skilled in mould assessment, mould identification, mould exposure testing, mould inspection and analysis, risk assessment and remediation. The team can design a tailored management plan to remove the mould safely and effectively and provide a permanent solution to correct the source of the problem.
Dale Smith is the Managing Director of Scaada Group. When he’s not helping clients solve complex environmental issues, he’s enjoying family time, hanging out with his beautiful wife and four busy girls.
Dale Smith , Managing Director of Scaada Group
0455 5500 084 |1300 SCAADA | services@scaada.com.au
Website: www.scaada.com.au
