Mold in Your Buildings
As school buildings continue to age, the presence of mold has become more common. However, it is still a serious concern. Take these steps if you identify mold in your building:
- Immediately report your discovery to your building’s Chief Custodian, who will communicate the concern to facilities, 443-770-5221,.
- If your concern is not immediately resolved, your next steps should be:
- Contact your Board of Education member
- File a complaint with the Department of Labor, Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Department
- Reach out to your TAAAC UniServ Director at 410-224-3330
The Operations Team is expected to make the cleaning and disinfection of mold a top priority. They will take the following steps to discover the cause and remedy the issue:
- Diagnosis and Reporting:
- Upon identifying mold, the Operations team must diagnose the cause (e.g., leaking roof, pipe, HVAC malfunction).
- Submit necessary work orders to address the root cause.
- Notify the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team immediately. EHS may require a preliminary site visit before cleaning if deemed necessary.
- Cleaning, Disinfection, and Exposure Control:
- In most cases, cleaning/disinfection protocols can begin immediately using approved disinfectants.
- Mold exposure risk is minimal to zero if impacted areas are properly treated with disinfectant. Guidance is provided based on hard surfaces, upholstery/carpets, or liquids
- Required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during cleaning includes gloves and eye protection. Voluntary use of an N95 mask is recommended.
For additional guidance, refer to the EPA’s Mold Remediation Guide, specifically Tables 1 and 2a: EPA Mold Remediation Guide.
