The Dangerous Reality of Mold in the Workplace
Business owners have a responsibility to keep their employees safe and sound while at work, but many don’t realize that they could very well have a silent danger lurking right under their noses. What we’re talking about is mold – and if you don’t take care of the problem, you could be looking at an unhealthy work environment, lost productivity, and possibly even a worker’s compensation claim against your business. This is why it’s absolutely imperative that you take care of any mold problems right away.
Why Is Mold Such a Problem at the Workplace?
Whether your workers are full-time or part-time, they spend many hours each week at your place of business. As you can imagine, being exposed to mold for as many as 40 hours a week (or even more) is not a safe environment for anyone to be in. And we’re not just talking about toxic mold – while toxic mold is especially hazardous, your everyday, run-of-the-mill mold can present problems to a person’s health.
What Happens When Mold Goes Unchecked?
Exposure to mold can lead to a host of respiratory issues, especially if a person who is exposed already suffers from an ailment such as allergies or asthma. These respiratory problems will worsen rather quickly if an exposed employee continues to work in the same environment without treatment and/or without mold remediation being done. These health issues can affect your business, as well, leading to a loss in productivity when workers call in sick or can’t work to their full potential, a decline in morale as more people begin to feel the ill effects, and the possibility of a claim being made for worker’s compensation or disability due to continuous exposure.
What Can You Do About Mold in the Workplace?
Although mold presents a dangerous situation for both your company and its employees, along with anyone else who may visit your place of business, it is definitely something you can keep in check. Here are some quick tips that we would recommend:
Daily Cleanings – This is the very best way to stop mold before it has a chance to get out of hand. A clean work environment will keep your workers safe from harm, but you must be diligent about it. This is especially true in the bathroom and break room, where water is more likely to accumulate.
Clean Up Spills Right Away – Liquid spills are common at work and they’re typically no big deal. Allowing water to sit too long, however, can quickly lead to a mold-friendly environment. Don’t let this happen!
Report Bathroom Issues Immediately – We’ve probably all had those moments where we’ve noticed a bit of overflow from a toilet or maybe even water from a sink that’s found its way to the floor – and we’ve done nothing about it. You can wipe up small amounts of water yourself, but bigger issues should be reported to management.
Call a Professional – The best way to rid your workplace of mold is to call a professional to inspect the entire building on a regular basis. And if you’ve noticed that mold has accumulated anywhere or if your workers are showing signs of exposure, don’t hesitate to call a remediation expert to take care of the problem.
Ridding your business or home of mold should always be a top priority. The professionals at Abbotts Fire & Flood have the know-how and equipment for proper mold abatement to ensure that your employees and household members are kept safe. If you suspect that mold could be a problem or have any other types of damage that requires attention, give us a shout and we’ll get started today.