Contain
The handling and movement of mould-affected material should be minimised to reduce the risk to staff health, and of cross-contamination within your collection. Material displaying inactive mould growth can be isolated in lidded plastic boxes, sealable plastic bags, or wrapped in plastic sheeting sealed with masking tape. Where possible, it should be stored separately to material unaffected by mould and should not be accessed prior to treatment. All affected housing materials should be disposed of and replaced.
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To prevent further damage, active mould growth must be halted before wrapping, isolation and treatment. Additional information on remediation of active mould can be found here [insert link].
If the issue extends beyond a small amount of collection material, or if the storage facility itself is affected, then access to the location should be restricted and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) services isolated until further action can be taken. Access and handling should be undertaken only whilst wearing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Investigate
In the event of an active mould outbreak, the cause should be thoroughly investigated. Findings will help to prevent its further spread and enable formulation of a targeted plan of action:
- Make a visual assessment of the storage space – is there anything obviously wrong with the building fabric? Is there water ingress? Standing water? Are there issues with building maintenance? Is the space well-maintained?
- Do environmental conditions exceed recommended parameters – i.e., is the ambient relative humidity (RH) consistently above 65%? Is low temperature leading to elevated RH? If so, can you determine why? Can the cause be easily eliminated?
- Is there a consistent programme of housekeeping in place that removes dust and other potential sources of contamination?
- Do you require input from other stakeholders? Should investigation be undertaken in parallel with your Facilities management team?
For further information on mould prevention, please refer to [link to Prevention & Protection pages]