December 12th, 2017
The word “mold” is a non-scientific term that in popular parlance generally refers to members of a few dozen filamentous fungi. Mold growth on building surfaces not only damages these surfaces, but also affects air quality as intact spores, as well as spore and mycelial fragments, are dispersed in the air. These can be inhaled depending on their size and concentration. Exposure to mold is associated with increased rates of respiratory disease. This document is a revision of an earlier version published by Health Canada and the Federal-ProvincialAdvisory Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health (CEOH) in 1995. The intent is to update the information and to reconcile certain practical aspects of the document with newer publications from theAmerican Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the American Industrial HygieneAssociation (AIHA) and other cognizant authorities. The purpose of this document is to assist front-line public health workers in the management of potential health risks associated with fungal contamination in public buildings. The report consists of two parts: 1.A review on health effects of indoor molds 2.A guide for the investigatio