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Suggestions for ICPs to consider when dealing with mold

Infection Control Monitor, February 6, 2004

Infection control professionals (ICPs) play an important role in preventing the spread of mold in hospitals. Jeff Heisler, senior project manager for AMEC Earth and Environmental in Louisville, KY, offers the following tips for ICPs:

Any time you have any type of construction in your facility, understand what's happening and where it's happening. Do an IC risk assessment. "The greatest source of problems is construction," he says.

Pay attention to indoor air quality. ICPs need to become intimately aware of renovation programs in their facilities. "The biggest tendency we see in IC nurses is they pay attention to the clinical side of things, but they don't shift over to the facilities side," Heisler notes. "The same air handler that feeds the lobby also feeds the wards."

Don't underestimate water. Do an audit of the facility and look for potential areas of intrusion, such as condensate lines. At one facility, Heisler saw a water sprinkler hitting the brick face of a building. The hospital ended up having mold and rot drywall in four or five patient rooms because of an improperly aligned water sprinkler. Look at the roofing system, landscaping, condensate lines, plumbing lines, and laboratory lines for water infiltration.

Ensure the performance of regular maintenance on the facility, such as changing air filters.

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