Mold Cleanup Kit Protects Workers Fixing Flood Damage

For thousands of people affected by Hurricanes, cleaning up and making their homes and businesses habitable again is a big challenge. When the flood waters recede it is often replaced by mold in damp materials like wallboard, insulation, carpeting, wallpaper, and wood paneling. All of that material needs to be removed, and workers need to be protected from airborne mold spores that can get into cuts and scrapes, ears, nose, mouth, and even the mucous membrane of the eye. To remove these hazardous materials, protective clothing must be worn.

Mold cleanup is serious business. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out that even dead mold may cause allergic reactions in some people. Live mold spores cause shortness of breath, and in more serious cases can develop obstructive lung disease and mold infections in the lungs.

To prevent these serious medical issues, workers doing flood cleanup and mold remediation need the correct hazmat clothing and lung protection. Luckily these days mold cleanup experts and do-it-yourself home and business owners have access to the same affordable, high-quality equipment.

While the CDC says a respirator mask rated N95 is probably sufficient, they don't take into account other materials that may be present in a cleanup. N95 masks are able to block about 95% of hazardous particles if they fit perfectly. In the real world that seldom happens. And with homes built before 1978, there is a real danger of also releasing lead paint particles when ripping out paneling, wallboard, and other household building materials.

For these reasons we recommend the following in our Mold Remediation and Cleanup Kit:

• Full-face respirator with P-100 HEPA filter and an activated charcoal element to remove noxious smells
• Tyvek full-body disposable hazmat coveralls with attached hood and booties
• MCR Flex Tuff gloves with puncture-resistant palms and fingers for demolition
• Ansell Sol-Vex Nitrile Gloves for cleanup, use of bleach or other chemicals, and disinfecting
• PVC Boots are a great option for soggy, dirty work

If you have questions about mold remediation or the safety equipment and protective clothing we sell, please give us a call or visit us online at pksafety.com.