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MOLD: WORKER AND EMPLOYER GUIDE TO HAZARDS AND RECOMMENDED CONTROLS WORK PRACTICES FOR DIFFERENT SIZE AREAS Small Areas of Mold Contamination (i.e., less than 10 square feet) • As a general rule, small areas of water damage require less control when remediating. • The work area should be unoccupied; removing people from adjacent spaces is not necessary but is recommended for infants, persons recovering from surgery, immune suppressed people, or people with asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and severe allergies. • Containment of the work area is not necessary. • Cover surfaces in the work area with secured plastic sheets to exclude spores, dust and debris to prevent the spread of mold to these surfaces. • Leave area clean, dry, and free of visible debris. Medium Areas of Mold Contamination (i.e., 10-30 square feet) • The work area should be unoccupied; removing people from adjacent spaces is not necessary but is recommended for infants, persons recovering from surgery, immune-suppressed people, or people with chronic inflammatory lung diseases (e.g., asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and severe allergies). • Containment of the work area is not necessary. Cover surfaces in the work area with secured plastic sheets to exclude spores, dust and debris and prevent the spread of mold to these surfaces. • Use dust suppression methods, e.g., misting (not soaking) surfaces prior to remediation. • Clean and/or remove materials as noted in the "Types of Materials" section on the previous page; seal materials being removed in plastic bags. • The work area and areas used by remediation workers for egress should be cleaned with a damp cloth or mop and a detergent solution. • Leave area clean, dry, and free of visible debris. Large Areas of Mold Contamination (i.e., 30-100 square feet) • The work area and areas directly adjacent to it should be unoccupied. • Cover surfaces in the work area with secured plastic sheets to exclude spores, dust and debris and prevent the spread of mold to these surfaces. • Seal ventilation ducts/grills in the work area and areas directly adjacent with plastic sheeting. • If remediation procedures are expected to generate a lot of dust (e.g., abrasive cleaning of contaminated surfaces, demolition of plaster walls) or where mold growth is heavy (i.e., blanket versus patchy coverage) follow the extensive contamination procedures and guidelines for protecting workers listed below. • Leave area clean, dry, and free of visible debris Extensive Contamination (i.e., greater than 100 square feet) • Develop a suitable mold remediation plan. The plan should address: work area isolation, the use of exhaust fans with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration, and the design of airlocks/decontamination room, and negative pressure enclosures, if applicable. • Leave area clean, dry, and free of visible debris. PROTECTING WORKERS DURING MOLD REMEDIATION Worker protection during mold remediation involves engineering controls, work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). Inhalation is the route of exposure of most concern to cleanup workers, even though mold can enter through cuts and abrasions causing fungal infections. 4

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