Mold Hazard Fact Sheet for Sandy Responders Available
OSHA created it to protect and inform people who are still rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy.
In an effort to protect workers rebuilding portions of the East Coast in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, OSHA has released a fact sheet on mold hazards that may occur during cleanup activities. The fact sheet is a tool for employees and employers involved in the cleanup that will inevitably involve mold in some areas. It includes information on mold and safe plans for eradication.
In addition, users of this tool can learn more about protective attire and equipment.
Available online, the fact sheet is not a replacement for employers' responsibility to monitor workers' mold protection, but it supplements this effort and makes the process safer.
"Workers will be exposed to mold during hurricane response and cleanup activities. Remediation of mold-contaminated building materials and surfaces can and must be done safely so that no worker is sickened or injured while performing this vital work," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York, on the agency's website. "Critical to this is employers knowing the hazards of mold, developing an effective mediation plan, the use of effective controls, work practices and personal protective equipment, and training employees to recognize and protect themselves against mold."