Found naturally in our environment, mold is fungus and is found nearly everywhere. However, many of us only become aware of the danger and destruction mold can cause when their spores multiply rapidly in our homes and office buildings. Having been on the Earth for million of years, mold spreads rapidly in damp, humid and wet environments. Health ailments, including upper respiratory infections as well as a myriad of other conditions ranging from bothersome to severe, threaten the welfare of the everyday seemingly healthy consumer, consumers who have compromised immune systems or those who suffer from asthma and emphysema. Being a service organization dedicated to the overall welfare of our clients, I feel that adding a mold inspection and/or remediation service, we are adding another service that supports our mission statement to provide and promote to all of our valuable customers a cleaner, healthier, and pleasant environment, whether it be in their home, office, or commercial establishment.
Pennsylvania lacks specific certification requirements and training stipulations for companies/professionals who choose to add mold inspection/remediation services. Looking for "easy money" too many service professionals lack the experience and training necessary which often results to ineffective and poor results for their end consumers. More alarming, there are too many, "fly-by-night" schools who make grandiose statements yet fail to provide the knowledge base, training and experience to prospective business owners, effectively setting the owners and their technicians up for failure. I implore any business owner who is interested in or who has a desire to implement a mold program to their cleaning service offerings, to research historically reputable organizations such as the EPA and IICRC , whom provide thorough work procedures, have established and defined industry standards and inspection criteria AND offer certification to their comprehensive standards. It is also worth mentioning that the cost associated with the start-up of a mold inspection/remediation business or add on service might seem like an expensive investment upfront and some owners/professionals might be tempted to utilize cheaper materials, cut corners or forego industry recommended equipment. However, what some owners fail to realize is that by neglecting to utilize industry recommended equipment and materials, they are essentially subjecting themselves to future litigation by former disgruntled employees who could suffer health ailments or customer's whose mold problem was not properly addressed. While it might seem tempting to utilize cost saving measures up front, properly addressing the root cause of the mold problem, uniforming employees with the right training/certification, who utilize the correct equipment and materials, the company is ensuring their overall LONG TERM financial success and highly regarded reputation by it's satisfied, loyal customers.
In order to properly implement a mold inspection and/or remediation service to my company, I believe the first step I and any manager should take is locating a school that utilizes methodology outlined within the EPA and IICRC. These organizations aim to standardize the procedures used for trained professionals ensuring the overall well being of the technician and the customer requesting services. After familiarizing myself with the standards utilized and proper equipment required, I plan on mandating that every employee who displays interest in training to perform mold work receive the same quality training so that every individual representing, "We Mean to Klean" is trained and experienced to the industry specification recommended. Additional insurance will be purchased, at the advice of our broker, to protect the overall interest of the company and provide extra protection to our employees ensuring their safety. Lastly, our procedures and standards aligned with those of the EPA and IICRC will be documented and all new employees will be mandated to review these standards and procedures at the time of hire. If they display an interest in becoming certified, training will be provided by an accredited institution endorsed by either the EPA or IICRC. Regular quality audits to ensure complete adherence to the documented procedures and standards will be conducted and noncompliance to any part of the procedures established will be dealt with swiftly.
In closing, I am looking forward to the training in the inspection/ mold remediation class and am hopeful that my current customer base will appreciate the add-on service we will hopefully provide!
