The implications of toxic mould for facilities management and building services
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Pat Coleman CEng, MCIBSE CFM is a director within the Facilities Group of FaberMaunsell, a division established in 1989, when it was first called ‘Facilities Consultancy’, to provide owner/occupiers with the technical advice, re-engineering design and contract management expertise necessary for the effective management of operational premises. The Business Solutions team consider themselves to be operational engineers focusing on achieving the best performance results from existing buildings by meeting a defined business function.
Abstract Is toxic mould the new phenomenon, after asbestos and legionnaires’ disease? This paper describes toxic mould and its implications on people and property for managers of the built environment. The basis of the paper is to advise facilities managers and building services engineers on the main facts about mould, as related to the built environment, how to avoid the conditions in which mould growth thrives and which areas within typical buildings have the greatest likelihood of supporting mould growth. The paper includes reference to the highly publicised compensation claims as completed in the USA and responds to the debate surrounding innovations in design and construction techniques being criticised for causing the increased occurrence of mould in newer buildings. From this background position, the paper describes the depth to which remedial procedures may be developed by facilities managers and building services engineers in terms of time and cost and concludes with advice on how to conduct such actions should mould deposits be detected.
Keywords: health, inhalation, environment, litigation, prevention, action
INTRODUCTION Toxic mould has been described as the ‘new asbestos’ and the ‘new legionnaires’ disease’, because it impacts on the health of individuals, as a result of inhalation. The key facts regarding mould are the following:
Faber Maunsell Marlborough House Upper Marlborough Road St Albans AL1 3UT, UK Tel: +44(0)20 8784 5843 E-mail: pat.coleman@fabermaunsell. com
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– mould is a naturally occurring form of fungi; – mould is everywhere; – in simple terms, mould is a microscopic fungus that grows on the surface of materials such as wood, carpet, ceilings and paintwork; – the vast majority of moulds are harmless to humans; – exposure to toxic mould, in extreme cases, can prove fatal;
q PALGRAVE MACMILLAN LTD 1744–9545
Journal of Building Appraisal
VOL.1 NO.4
PP 362–367
The implications of toxic mould for facilities management and building services
– the severity of illness which can be contracted is dependent upon the sensitivity of each individual person. For facilities managers and building services engineers, the main concerns regarding toxic mould are: – – – – –
the health risks imposed on building users and visitors; the anxiety generated by knowledge of its occurrence; the cost pressure induced by the need for immediate clean-up works; the cost pressure of reinstatement/refurbishment of premises; achieving relocation of users, throughout the clean-up a
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