Mold and Moisture Management
Managing mold and moisture in healthcare facilities can be especially problematic, leaving your facility open to regulatory and legal consequences.
Patients treated at a healthcare facility often present symptoms that were once controllable … but suddenly require urgent attention. When that happens, the medical staff is trained to respond quickly to stop the threat and restore health to the patient. We all owe a big debt of gratitude to the hospitals, clinics, and other patient-centered businesses and organizations that remain ready to serve us and get us through some of the toughest things life has to offer.
There is an environmental threat, however, that often goes unnoticed — and even when it presents itself is often not recognized as urgent. Moisture can gather without detection to create the perfect spawning ground for mold spores. Those spores can then be dispersed in the environment to threaten the health of anyone in the affected area, especially those with low immune systems.
Read MoreMold and moisture can damage the structure integrity of the facility, lead to mysterious infections, contaminate medical supplies, create regulatory concerns, and more. That is why FACS environmental health experts are trained to help you recognize and contain mold and moisture concerns in your healthcare facility.
Contributing factors include HVAC system malfunctions, plumbing leaks, catastrophic weather events, poor ventilation, uncontrolled humidity, unnoticed spills, and construction or renovation activities. And like many medical procedures, the identification of the problem, followed by a rapid response to alleviate it, can prevent a serious issue from spiraling out of control.
Key Agents & Issues
- Mold growth and spore dispersal
- Water intrusion
- HVAC maintenance strategy
- Mold growth assessments and spore identification
- Bacterial growth
- Remediation support
- Environmental health assessments
- Environmental health strategic planning
The healthcare industry is rife with challenges that continue to evolve. Fortunately, FACS has consistently proven its dependability in Industrial Hygiene and other related services. Our organization values urgency, and FACS always delivers whenever we require their assistance. They are committed to adopting the best practices to meet our standards, and we remain focused on ensuring employee safety and a positive patient experience. FACS has been an instrumental partner in helping us achieve our mission, thanks to their team of highly experienced and trustworthy professionals.
Patrion McMickle, MS
Senior Manager, Occupational Safety & Health
Case Study
Aspergillosis Outbreak at a Medical Center
FACS was retained by a medical center in Southern California to perform a mold and moisture investigation in selected patient rooms and nurse stations in one of the hospital’s critical care units. The assessment was performed to evaluate potential sources and airborne levels of
Aspergillus fumigatus mold spores following a reported Aspergillosis outbreak. The hospital
was especially concerned about potential threats to patient health.