Communication is also key in preventing mold problems in the first place. When management and staff share responsibilities, it is much easier to pinpoint mold and other indoor air quality (IAQ) issues and address them before they grow out of control.
Do You Have an Effective System for Communicating with Employees?
Believe it or not, most facilities think they are superstars at getting the word out, but the truth is most aren’t. An effective system for communicating with employees looks like this:
- It provides accurate information about factors that affect mold formation and growth
- There’s a health and safety committee
- Responsibilities of management and staff are very clear
- It establishing a system for documenting and responding to complaints
Ensure that your workplace is safe for all employees by taking steps now to prevent mold and remediate its cleanup. Guide to Mold Management features easy-to-read charts explaining federal and state legislation. Learn More.
Getting the Word Out
It is easier and less costly to prevent IAQ problems than to remediate them. Many problems can be prevented if employees understand how their activities affect IAQ. Many facilities have a health and safety committee whose responsibility it is to promote safe working conditions. IAQ issues can be added to the committee’s list of responsibilities.
A Safety Committee for Your Mold Problem
Though establishment of such committees is not a federal requirement, many businesses maintain them even in states that do not require them in order to help improve their safety and health programs. Many insurance companies offer benefit incentives or rate discounts for businesses with established safety and health committees. Committee members develop or oversee development of safety and health programs, monitor and help implement program elements, and evaluate program progress.
By the way— If your facility does not already have a health and safety committee, consider forming one. Certain states require that employers establish safety and health committees at their workplaces in order to meet the communication system requirements of the state’s illness and injury program. BLR’s Safety Daily Advisor has free articles to help you start a safety committee or make your existing committee better.
Clarify Responsibilities
Although management has the ultimate responsibilities for effective mold management, everyone has a part in maintaining a healthy work environment. Employees can be proactive in improving conditions by understanding how they can prevent mold growth in their work areas, knowing the symptoms of mold-related illnesses, and reporting mold problems. Although there are no training requirements for mold, it might be worth the time to give a little training to your employees on mold hazards and prevention.
Employees should be encouraged to report mold problems. Every employee should know whom to contact if they see or smell mold, or if they or others are experiencing mold-related symptoms.
Protect your employees, and your company, from mold. Our practical Guide to Mold Management guide gives you everything you need to avoid costly liabilities. Learn More.
Documenting and Responding to Complaints
Many facilities have established procedures for responding to employee complaints that can easily be modified to include mold concerns. Employees need to know how to express their complaints, whom to report them to, and where to obtain appropriate forms. The information can be available in personnel handbooks, posted on bulletin boards, circulated in memos, or by any means managers use to disseminate important facility information.
Mold-related complaints should be handled promptly, with every incident given serious attention. A recordkeeping system should be established that has cross-reference documentation on complaints. And this kind of recordkeeping system can help resolve complaints by collecting information in a form that highlights patterns of problems, e.g., employee complaints that occur at a regular time of day or in the same area of the building.