American cable sports network ESPN recently released a report of safety issues found in sporting arenas across North America, including mold. 

Rexall Place in Edmonton had the worst food safety record in Canada, including mold in several food preparation machines and areas. Mold in these food preparation areas can trigger asthma or allergies in both workers and customers, and can lead to indoor air quality issues at the same time. 

Mold isn’t limited to machines or food preparation areas, either: earlier this year, mold testing revealed that a major batch of Tylenol and other drugs were recalled because of mold contamination at the factory where they were produced, leaving the pills themselves with a moldy odour. The pills were stored on mold-infested, wet and rotting wooden pallets. The pills made a large number of consumers ill, with complaints of nausea, vomiting and stomach pains. 

When health inspectors visit various food preparation outlets, like grocery stores and factories, they might show up only once per year and rarely is it ever a surprise. Often, managers are warned ahead of time or can catch a glimpse of the shower-cap and white coat-clad inspectors checking out the building section by section, giving staff hours to clean house and hide anything the inspectors may frown upon so production isn’t interrupted. In some cases, the inspectors do little more than ensure staff knows how to wash their hands according to the little notice posted by the hand sink, or take temperatures of food items to ensure they’re being stored properly. They don’t open, move or look under anything, and they certainly don’t test for mold.  

Mold can be common in these commercial buildings, in improperly set-up refrigerators, on food, in machines and even in walls or under counters.   Indoor air quality and mold testing isn’t something that should be limited to residential properties, because the effects of mold in commercial food or consumable product preparation areas can have a chain-reaction effect, affecting thousands of people.  

Should you feel you or your employees are at risk of mold contamination, Contact Moldinspections.ca for Professional Mold Testing services in Toronto.

Mold Testing services are also carried out in the following areas: Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

A mold allergy can come out of nowhere, and you may have never experienced allergies to mold prior. The symptoms can vary too: some people affected by sensitivity to mold may find themselves with symptoms that are similar to those of seasonal allergies, like watery eyes, runny noses and an itchy throat. In other cases, throat irritation or a noticeable swelling in the throat might occur.

A sudden change in behaviour or lifestyle can make the allergies more severe. For example, installing air conditioning and closing up the windows of an apartment removes the incoming fresh air and causes allergies to worsen.

If you spend more time at home, you might also notice the symptoms affect you more than anyone else living there. A doctor can help you determine if your symptoms are caused by an allergy, upon which they can refer you to an allergist.

Even if you end up feeling better, a visit to an allergist can provide tenants with the ammunition they need to get their property management or landlord to take action. Unfortunately, most renter’s and homeowner’s insurance does not cover mold, on purpose.

Mold is a maintenance issue, not an unforeseen event like a fire, burst pipe or home invasion. It is not your responsibility as a tenant to pay for the mold inspection or removal. However, it is the tenant’s responsibility to ensure something is done about the mold problem if they intend to take action.

Your first step as a tenant is to notify the landlord or property management, who will then hire a mold inspection company. If the landlord refuses to do so, a tenant can hire their own mold inspector and demand that cost comes of their rent payments.

Document everything that is sent to the landlord in writing, as well as photographs of the mold if it’s visible. If the landlord still refuses to budge, you may be able to sue to get out of your lease and pay for any costs incurred if you paid for the inspection yourself.

In many cases, superintendents may attempt to do the repairs themselves. This is not adequate at all when it comes to removing a mold infestation in an apartment, and professional help is needed. The superintendents will rarely if ever have the proper containment and removal equipment to deal with the problem thoroughly and effectively.