Hazardous Materials Assessments

There are three ways to complete mold testing:

1. Air Testing

2. Surface Testing

3. Bulk Testing

Barrow Safety Services can test your home if you see, smell, or detect mold issues, or if someone in your home has allergies or asthma and you want to be sure to keep the mold to a minimum. Hiring a professional mold tester who is experienced at collecting and analyzing mold samples will always lead to the most accurate results.

If you see any of the following signs below, contact Barrow Safety Services for a complete mold evaluation:

Mold Smell

What does mold smell like? Mold on the outside of your house often smells stale, but mold on the inside smells musty and damp. A mold smell is not something to ignore. 

Visible Growth

Seeing mold is confirmation that it exists, but it is the mold that is not visible that can be the scariest.

Water Leaks

Current or previous leaks are often an indicator that mold is present. Whether it was a leaky pipe or a leak in the roof, these often produce moisture in overlooked places.

Water Intrusion

Water intrusion can take on many forms. Whether a sewer line is backed up or a pipe breaks or flooding occurs from an outside building, each problem can lead to mold if not cleaned carefully and completely. Often these problems cannot be spotted immediately, which leads to the probability of mold.

Past Flooding

If your house has been in a flood, there is a good chance you will end up with a mould problem. After a flood, the best thing you can do is contact a mould remediation company or water damage specialist who performs clean ups of flooded homes. This way you can be sure that all mould problems will be properly taken care of. You will also have the peace of mind of knowing that your home will be completely safe to continue living in after it has been professionally remediated.

Health Symptoms

Black mold is known for causing the most damage to our bodies because it contains mycotoxins that affect our skin, respiratory functions, and more. If you or someone you love is experiencing a combination of any of the following symptoms, I recommend an inspection of your home:

Respiratory problems

Skin inflammation

Hemorrhage

Irritation of the mucous membranes

Damage to internal organs

Mental impairment

Tiredness

Nausea

Immune system suppression

There is no cure or antidote which can be taken for toxic black mold. Removing the toxic black mold will help your body start to recover and most of your symptoms should go away over time. However, some of the damage from toxic black mold can be permanent.

Silica Testing is one of the most common hazards on a worksite, particularly in the construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and agriculture industries. Cutting, breaking, crushing, drilling, grinding, or blasting concrete or stone releases the dust. As workers breathe in the dust the silica settles in their lungs. Sampling the air for respirable silica when a dust-producing task is being performed is the best way to determine if and how much silica dust is in the air the worker is breathing. 

What Happens If You Breathe Silica Dust?

Breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. The respirable silica dust enters the lungs and causes the formation of scar tissue, thus reducing the lungs' ability to take in oxygen. There is no cure for silicosis.

It is essential that the right type of filter for the work task is used otherwise the wearer may be unprotected. The minimum RPE required is a (negative-pressure) half face respirator with a particulate filter (P1 or P2), preferably a tight-fitting re-usable respirator. Barrow Safety offers quantitative fit testing to provide proper fit test results and protection.