Transferring from moisture damaged school building to clean facilities – The avoidance of mold exposure induces a decline in symptoms and improvement in lung function among personnel

Abstract

Working in a moisture-damaged building can cause different symptoms and effects on lung functions. Moving to a clean environment, it is believed to reduce symptoms and alleviate potential adverse health effects. This case study monitors the health effects of personnel in one school building before and after all school activities were transferred from a moisture-damaged school building to clean premises. The whole school staff was invited to attend this follow-up study. All participants (N = 45) were interviewed, and pulmonary functions were measured by spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide testing (FENO) before transferring the school activities to a new building and the control measurements were performed twice; three months and six months after the transfer. After transferring to temporary facilities, 82% of participants felt that their symptoms were improved or resolved and the pulmonary functions were improved; 50% of those who had decreased pulmonary functions at the beginning, their pulmonary function values returned to normal after three months. Over the next six months, the perceived symptoms continued to reduce so that 93% of the respondents felt fully asymptomatic with respect to indoor air, and the spirometry results improved further. Transferring workers from the damaged building to healthy environment provided beneficial health effects on pulmonary functions and to perceived symptoms even in a relatively short time period. Based on this study, and from the perspective of promoting and protecting the health and well-being of personnel, transferring school activities from a moisture damaged building to clean facilities brought considerable advantages, despite the possible cost and difficulties of finding replacement facilities.