Mold in Construction
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Don
Garvey
Presented at
the Construction Safety Council's 13th Annual Construction Safety
& Health Conference & Exposition, Rosemont, Illinois, February
2003. |
DISCLAIMER
- St. Paul makes
no warranty of any kind, and is not liable for any damages that may
arise from use of this information.
- We ARE NOT LAWYERS,
and can't give legal advice. If you need it, talk with your own lawyer.
- Our discussion
of a topic does not change or create insurance coverage- your insurance
policy does that.
- This class does
not, and cannot cover all conditions you may encounter in the real world.
- YOU always have
FINAL responsibility for YOUR safety.
Cost of Mold
- New York City
- 150 families
file suit against housing complex owner claiming failure to eliminate
mold.
5 are wrongful death suits.
- Florida
- Construction
defect claim against architect, CM and subs. $11.5 million awarded
- California
- $33,000 settlement
regarding roof leaks
- Texas
- $30 million
bad faith claim against insurer over mold
- Ed McMahon
- $20 million
against insurer and contractor
Insurance Coverage
- Coverage is major
issue at this time
- All insurers
are trying to get exclusions
- $1.2 billion
paid out in 2001
- $2.5 billion
paid out in 2002
Most important thing
you can do is report potential claims as soon as you are aware of them
Session Overview
- Health and mold
- Reasons for mold
growth
- Prevention
- Assessment guidelines
- Remediation procedures
30 Second Seminar
- Mold is everywhere
- Only 3 things
needed for mold growth
- Mold will always
be here
- Can't eliminate
the first two - the only option is #3 - control moisture
Mold Verses Fungus
- Fungus is one
of the kingdoms (plants, animals)
- Mold is a term
of convenience
- All mold is fungus,
not all fungus is mold.
- We will use the
terms interchangeably
Health and Mold
- Potential mold
reactions depend on:
- Species involved
(there are 1000s of them)
- Metabolic
products of species
- Duration
and intensity of exposure
- Susceptibility
of individual
- Just because mold
is present does not create a hazard - it is always there.
- Allergic reactions
- probably the most common response
- Infections -
rare (e.g. histoplasmosis). 95% recover naturally. Medical facilities
are high risk location.
- Irritation -
from chemicals produced by mold.
- Mycotoxins -
chemicals produced by some (not all) molds
.
- Some extremely
toxic - some therapeutic
- Most have
little or no research on health effects
- Most human
disease due to eating contaminated food or huge agricultural exposures
- NOT inhalation
- Toxic Mold -
Stachybotrys
- 1994 - 10
acute pulmonary hemosiderosis in infants in Cleveland - Stachybotrys
found in houses
- 2000 - CDC
study - not enough evidence to conclude an association between indoor
mold and children's' condition
- CDC position
on health effects - no consensus
- Texas Medical
Association - Council of Scientific Affairs
No evidence that Stachybotrys
causes serious health problems or aggravates existing health conditions.
Houston Chronicle 22 Sept. 2002
"Levels of exposure in the indoor environment, dose-response data in animals,
and dose-rate considerations suggest that delivery by the inhalation route
of a toxic dose of mycotoxins in the indoor environment is highly unlikely
at best……."
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine October 2002
- Annals of Allergy
Asthma Immunology Vol. 87 Dec. 2001 p.57-63
Stachybotrys: Relevance to Human Disease
Conclusions: The current public concern for adverse health effects from
inhalation of stachybotrys spores in water-damaged buildings is not
supported by published reports in the medical literature
- Annals of Allergy
Asthma Immunology
Vol. 87 Dec. 2001 p. 52-6
Fungi: Toxic Killers or Unavoidable Nuisances
Conclusions: The review led to the conclusion that the primary effect
from fungal exposure is allergic disease, and that the evidence for
inhalation disease resulting from mycotoxin exposure in residential
and office settings is extremely weak.
Medical Tests
- Few medical tests
available
- Can only document
that exposure has occurred
- Can not determine
source, place, time of exposure
- Mold exposure
occurs naturally all the time
Reasons for Mold Growth
- Primary reason
- moisture accumulation
- Design flaw
- Construction
flaw (e.g. leaky roof, vapor barrier, installation of wet materials)
- Pipe leak,
water overflow
- Growth can start
within 48 hrs.
- Modern buildings
seem particularly susceptible - tight construction
- Increase of wall
board vs. metal mesh and plaster
Prevention
- Prevent moisture
accumulation
- US EPA study
- 45% of office buildings surveyed had active water leaks
- Consult envelope
engineer on geometrically complex buildings for water tightness
- Document any
recommended changes to Architect of Record.
- If recommendation
is rejected copy to owner and your file.
- Don't just "shrug
and build it"
- Renovations or
additions - preexisting mold survey.
- Prequalify potential
subs that they have expertise in specific application
- Consult manufactures
of moisture critical products:
- Fitness for
intended service
- Confirm product's
proper application
- Provide preferred
installers
- Proper sequencing
of work - keep interior materials away from exterior conditions
- Inspect materials
at delivery
- Preexisting
mold
- Proper moisture
content per manufacturer
- Storage
- Dry location
- Off the ground
- Loose tarps
or sheets to allow air flow
Be sure foundation is dry
- Drain away
- Slope away
- Roof drains
properly supported and braced
- Sprinklers
will not water the foundation
- Proper insulation
on chilled water pipes
- Double check
points where moisture may enter
- Doors
- Windows
- Flashings
and caulking
- Waterproof
membranes (proper lapping at joints and corners
- Roofing systems
and penetrations
- Balconies
and decks
- Prearrange drying
equipment
- Fans
- Dehumidifiers
- Wet-dry vacs
- Dry materials
as quickly as possible
- If possible,
ventilate wall cavity
- Be sure it is
safe to use equipment
Hidden moisture during 1993 Mississippi floods.
- Pipe chases/utility
tunnels
- Above drop ceilings
- Under carpeting
- Wall cavities
- HVAC system
- No internal
lining - bare galvanized sheet metal
- Cooling coil
drip pans
- Filters -
good quality and in place
- Humidity
levels - 30-50% RH
Vinyl wall covering
traps water
Prevention - Drywall
- Greenboard -
moisture resistant
- Wax added
to gypsum and paper cover
- More resistant
to moisture uptake
- Cost increase
to use greenboard throughout 1 study - 0.08 - 0.6% increase
- Capillary breaks
or moisture barriers between gypsum and masonry materials
Prevention
- Double check
all water lines
- Proper installation
- Connections
leak tight
- Proper insulation
- Multiple
checkers for leak detection
- HVAC commissioning
- actual air flow tests critical
- Consider interim
inspections for mold issues
- Architect
- Envelope
engineer
- Mechanical
engineer
- Materials
manufacturer's representative
- New building
owners must be trained on:
- HVAC system
- Maintenance
of structure
- Water damage
- Vent moisture
appliances
- Humidity
control
- Sprinkler
systems not watering building
- DO NOT use outdoor
fungicides for indoor situations.
QA/QC
- Three steps to
quality assurance
- Build in
strict accordance with plans and specifications
- Design professionals
correct flaws in plans and specs that are likely to allow intrusion
- Document
every step, including photos of key installations.
Toxic Mold Part 1 Dave
Dolnick Constructor - Oct. 2001
Prevention
"If builders and insurance companies aren't sensitive (to mold concerns)
then they are provoking people to bring claims to justify their own fears"
Plaintiffs often win cases with the argument that mold growth was exacerbated
by the insurance company's or builder's action, but not proof that the mold
made them sick.
John Sweeney Miles & Stockbridge Law Firm
Assessment
- No generally
accepted levels for mold in environment.
- 1986 ACGIH proposes
mold TLV
- 500 CFU/M3
in office environment. Indoor/outdoor ratio should be less than
0.33.
- Guidelines deleted
in 1987. Lack of scientific data to support levels and difficulty in
interpretation.
- Visual inspection
is the most important initial step in identifying a possible contamination
problem.
- Testing not required
for remediation.
- Lots of variables
in air monitoring collection and interpretation of results.
- "Bulk or surface
sampling is not required to undertake a remediation." "Air sampling
for fungi should not be part of a routine assessment…."
NYC Guidelines
- "If it is not
possible to sample properly, it would be preferable to not sample. Inadequate
sample plans may generate misleading, confusing and useless results.
US EPA
- Moisture meters
- Mold growth may
occur up to 1 meter past high water mark or visual mold
- In addition look
for:
- Earthy, musty
odor
- Discolored
plaster, wall board, building materials
- Suspected
water accumulation or intrusion
Assessment - Air
Monitoring
- Simultaneous
samples collected in
- Compare results
Assessment - Air Sampling
- Look for higher
levels indoors, or different molds - suggests amplification source
- Can not prove
sources of health complaints
- Can not suggest
remediation procedures
- Remember - mold
is everywhere.
Assessment - Air Monitoring
- Having said all
that: Situations that require it:
- Litigation
- Building
management requires evidence that identified source is being spread
- Building
management (occupants) insist
Assessment - Air Sampling
- "Sampling should
be done only after developing a sampling plan that includes a confirmable
theory regarding suspect mold sources and routes of exposure." US EPA
- What will we
learn?
- How and who collects
and analyzes samples?
- What criteria
to interpret the data?
If you can see or smell
mold you have a mold situation. May not be a health hazard but it must be
addressed .
Remediation
- To conquer mold
conquer moisture problems.
- Most important
action STOP THE MOISTURE.
- Don't bother
doing anything until the moisture source is eliminated
Decontamination
- Non-porous materials
(e.g. glass, brick, plastic)
- Porous materials
(e.g. carpet, drywall, cloth)
- EPA and OSHA
do not recommend routine use of bleach or other biocide
- Read labels
- Follow directions
- Use PPE
- Don't be Mr.
or Ms. Science and start mixing things.
Decontamination -Drywall
- In some situations
- decontaminate and encapsulate
- Limited mold
growth
- Can access
both sides of drywall
- Zinc rich
paints can be used to control mold
- ShieldZ
- Zinzer
- Foster
40/20 - H.B. Fuller
Decontamination
- Ozone generators
- not recommended
- UV lights - not
recommended
US EPA Guidelines
- Level 1 - Small
areas - 10 ft2 (ceiling tile)
- Level 2 - Medium
- 10-100 ft2 (one to several wallboard panels)
- Level 3 - Large
- over 100 ft2
- New York City
has additional guidance for HVAC remediation
- EPA Guidelines
assume clean water damage
- Get help for
sewage, chemical/biological contaminated water damage
- Everything is
just a starting point - each job needs professional judgment
Workers and Supervisors
- Level 1 - Trained
building staff
- Level 2-3 - "Qualified"
safety professional makes cases-by-case determination
(From NYC Guidelines)
Respirators
- Level 1 - N95
disposables or better
- Level 2 - Full
face with N100 filters
- Level 3 - PAPR
with N100 filters
- Remember OSHA
Respirator Program
Worker Protective Clothing
- All levels
- Impervious
gloves - mid-forearm
- Goggles -
sealed or indirect vent only
- Disposable
coveralls
- Hand and
face washing station
Containment
- Level 1 - none
required
- Level 2 - increasing
levels as specified
- Level 3 - under
negative pressure similar to asbestos abatement
- All levels -
light water misting - not soaking
- Lots of professional
judgment is needed here
Waste Disposal
- Bag
- Rinse
- Toss - check
with local authorities just to be sure. Moldy material is NOT RCRA hazardous
waste.
New Resources
- OSHA Draft Mold
Recommendations - release date unknown. VERY similar to US EPA
- AGC of America
- Managing the Risk of Mold in the Construction of Buildings - March
2003
Regulatory Action
- States planning
or taking legislative action
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Virginia
- California
- Maryland
- Texas
Review
- Mold will always
be with us.
- Health effects
may be scientifically questionable, but public perception is reality.
- To control mold,
control moisture.
- Visual inspection
is first step in assessment
- No PEL or TLV
for mold.
- EPA and NYC have
remediation guidelines
Mold in Construction
This program is only a tool to assist you in managing your legal responsibility
to maintain safe premises, practices, operations and equipment, and is not
for the benefit of any other party. The program does not cover all possible
hazardous conditions or unsafe acts that may exist, and contains no legal
advice. For decisions regarding use of the practices suggested by this program,
follow the advice of your own legal counsel. St. Paul disclaims all warranties
whether implied, express or statutory, including without limitation, implied
warranties of merchantability, fitness for use and fitness for a particular
purpose. Implementation of any practices suggested by this program is at
your sole discretion, and St. Paul will have no liability to any party for
any damages including, but not limited to, direct, indirect, special or
consequential damages, arising out of or in connection with the information
provided or its use.
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or coverages of any insurance policy issued by The St. Paul. No part of
this document or any of our risk control activities associated with or leading
up to the creation of this document, is a representation that coverage does
or does not exist for any particular claim or type of claim under any such
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under any such policy depends on the facts and circumstances involved in
the claim and all applicable policy wording.
Mold in Construction Checklist
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