February 26, 2021 | Posted by MICRO
In 2019, NIOSH released the Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool for both general buildings and schools to help assess areas of dampness in buildings and to help prioritize remediation of problems areas. These assessment tools have been validated and can be applied with minimal training.
The health of those who live, attend school, or work in damp buildings has been a growing concern through the years due to a broad range of reported building-related symptoms and illnesses. Research has found that people who spend time in damp buildings are more likely to report health problems such as these:
- Respiratory symptoms (such as in nose, throat, lungs)
- Development or worsening of asthma
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a rare lung disease caused by an immune system response to
repeated inhalation of sensitizing substances such as bacteria, fungi, organic dusts, and chemicals) - Respiratory infections
- Allergic rhinitis (often called “hay fever”)
- Bronchitis
- Eczema
Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool – School Buildings pdf icon[PDF – 2 MB]
