Tag Archives: Commercial Mold Treatment

Employers – Take Reports of Mold in the Workplace Seriously

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Employers Must Weigh Concerns of Mold Seriously In the Workplace.

Employers Must Weigh Concerns of Mold Seriously In the Workplace.

Recently, a Pennsylvania employee was fired from her job for reporting mold in the workplace. She had notified the company of the problem, and when they failed to take steps to remedy the problem, reported to OSHA.

Mold in the Workplace: Don’t Ignore It

The company was notified by OSHA representatives that the issue had been brought to their attention and the area needed to be inspected.

Long story short, the company had the area inspected and was told there was a significant mold issue that needed immediate remediation. The company acknowledged the problem, but two months later, refused to take action. The employee continued to file complaints and several weeks after the inspection was completed, the company retaliated by firing her.

This is a direct violation of federal legislation put in place to protect employees who “blow the whistle” on illegal conduct. In too many instances, employees are afraid to come forward for exactly what happened to the Pennsylvania employee and why protections were put into law.

The company’s failure to take action and the firing of a whistleblower, which is the term used for people who bring illegal situations to light, cost the business $105,000 as a settlement to the employee. It most likely would have cost less to have had a professional mold treatment of the affected area.

If you are aware of a mold problem or an employee(s) bring it to your attention, don’t hesitate to hire mold removal service in New Jersey immediately.

At Stern Mold, we handle mold removal in New Jersey with specialized treatments to eliminate problems and make sure everyone is working in a healthy, mold-free environment.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Treatment, News

What Types of Mold are Commonly Found in Commercial Buildings?

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What Types of Mold are Commonly Found in Commercial Buildings?

What Types of Mold are Commonly Found in Commercial Buildings?

Is that just a bit of dirt and grime? Or is your commercial property in need of NJ mold removal services?

Be on the Lookout for These Five Dangerous Mold Species:

Alternia
Powdery and olive-green to black, 70% of those with mold allergies react to Alternia. This mold is at its highest concentration during the summer, when wind carries spores indoors.

Aspergillus
The second most common mold to infect humans, many commercial buildings are found to contain Aspergillus, whose spores are found in higher concentrations indoors than out. Yellow-green with a reddish-brown underside, it’s a toxic mold, capable of producing mycotoxins, and is known to cause serious health issues in humans and animals. This mold – and the diseases it induces – is so common that its diseases have their own name: Aspergillosis.

Cladosporium
NJ mold removal experts see a lot of Cladosporium, which comes in many colors (olive-green, brown, grey, black) and grows at nearly any temperature – even cold storage. It’s known as a major trigger for asthma attacks.

Penicillium
Penicillium was named after the Latin word for ‘paintbrush,’ namely due to its ability to produce enormous quantities of greenish, bluish or yellowish spores. Though toxic, carefully cultured, it can be put to beneficial use in antibiotics.

Stachybotrys
Dark brown or black in color, Stachybotrys, or ‘black mold’ is slow to develop, but can overtake other types of mold that colonize before it. It is commonly found on cellulose (plant-based) materials like paper, wood, and cotton.

Don’t let your commercial space earn a reputation as a ‘sick building.’ Clear mold fast with the help of the NJ mold removal experts at Stern Mold today.

Posted in Mold Identification, News, NJ Mold Removal, NYC Mold Removal

70% of Employees Complain About Poor Air Quality in Their Office Why?

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Are the Effects of Mold Affecting Your Employees?

Are the Effects of Mold Affecting Your Employees?

Is your job making you sick? If it is, you’re not alone. A survey by YouGov finds that about 70 percent of office workers across Britain believe their place of work has indoor air pollution that is having an adverse effect on their productivity.

Approximately one third of office workers feel poor indoor air quality at work is making them sick. Numbers are similar in North America. Sixty percent of workers say they begin their workday by opening a window to get fresh air. However, opening a window isn’t solving the problem.

Employer responsibilities

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers must adhere to the General Duty Clause of the OSHAct. It requires employers provide a safe place to work free of any known hazards that may cause serious illness, injury, or death.

The OSHAct establishes health standards that all employers must follow. If there is a problem with the air quality of an office, the employer should make employees aware of the issue and take corrective action. Local and state regulations may also apply.

NJ mold removal in buildings

Moisture problems can cause “sick building syndrome” in offices. The symptoms may include headache, itchy skin, dry eyes, nose, and throat, and fatigue. Mold spores are too small for people to see but they can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions.

Mold issues can be easily remedied with the MoldExterm method of treatment. It takes significantly less time than traditional NJ mold removal in buildings. Most treatments can be completed in one day and come with up to a five-year guarantee. Contact Stern Mold today for a free consultation and mold inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health

Leaks in Library and Mold Found in Basement Cause Building Closure

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Leaks in Library and Mold Found in Basement Cause Building Closure

Leaks in Library and Mold Found in Basement Cause Building Closure

Staying quiet at the library can be difficult when there’s a major leak problem and mold is growing throughout the building. That’s the case at two public libraries in Jackson, Mississippi, which are facing temporary closures.

The leaks had gotten so bad that staff members relied on dozens of buckets to collect dripping water throughout the library.

In addition to the daily hassle of emptying buckets, staff and visitors had to worry about health risks due to mold. Although the mold was primarily found in the basement, it had spread to the air ducts where it affected everyone in the building.

Children and the elderly are especially prone to mold-related respiratory problems, making a public library an unfortunate place to have an infestation.

Jackson officials tried to remedy the mold problem two years prior. They used standard mold remediation that merely kills the active mold but does not prevent a future outbreak.

If they had used MoldExterm, the two-part mold removal process we use at Stern Mold, the basement’s surfaces could have been sealed off to stop mold spores from reactivating ever again.

Prevent Disaster with NJ Mold Removal

Mold needs very little to grow. A water source such as a roof leak is all mold spores need to activate. That’s why it’s important to look for signs of mold and get a free inspection to be safe. It’s also why our NJ mold removal service finishes the job with a patented polymer seal to stop mold in its tracks, and without the need for ripping out building materials.

For more info on Stern Mold NJ mold removal services, please call or contact us today.

Posted in Mold Law, Mold Remediation, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm, News, NJ Mold Removal, NYC Mold Removal

Can You Sue Your Landlord for Mold Exposure – You Bet!

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Don't Wait until it's Too Late, Inspect Now!

Suing A Landlord Over Mold

Mold is a serious problem and can cause severe health issues in many people. When you lease a property for your home or business, you have certain legal rights regarding the condition of the property. Landlords are responsible for keeping the premises fit for human habitation for the duration of the lease. If you have a problem with mold in a property that you are leasing, contact the landlord as soon as possible.

Conditions that result in mold

Mold needs three things to grow: Moisture, food, and proper temperature. Moisture can exist in the air due to a leaky roof or inadequate ventilation. It can also come from plumbing leaks, standing water in a crawlspace, a damp basement, or poor drainage allowing water to enter the building.

These issues alone can cost a lot of money to fix. However, our NYC mold removal method is not expensive, and properly addressing these problems is less costly for the landlord than ignoring the matter and ultimately being required to pay for legal fees, mold inspection, replacing damaged personal property, medical expenses, and emotional distress.

If you have to sue your landlord

Ideally, your landlord values you as a tenant and will make every effort to maintain a good relationship with you. Do your part to keep good will in this legal relationship, if that’s possible.

Landlord responsibilities regarding mold aren’t always clear. There are no federal standards for permissible exposure limits in buildings and you may have to pay for a professional inspection and air quality test to prove a health risk exists. Consult an attorney and contact the mold experts at Stern for NYC mold removal.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Information, Mold Law, News
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