Could Mould Be Affecting Your Health at Work?

For people experiencing mould exposure symptoms at work, the cause is not always easy to identify. A persistent blocked nose, irritated eyes, coughing, or difficulty concentrating may be attributed to seasonal allergies or a lingering cold, particularly where there is no obvious sign that something within the workplace environment could be responsible.

For employers, recurring symptoms linked to workplace conditions can affect both employee attendance and day-to-day productivity. Understanding how mould can affect workplace health, and the responsibilities employers have when concerns arise, is therefore essential for protecting employee wellbeing and recognising when closer investigation may be needed.

How Does Mould Develop in the Workplace?

Mould develops where persistent moisture creates suitable conditions for fungal growth. This may result from damp or water leaks, whilst poor ventilation can allow moisture to build indoors and encourage condensation and mould growth.

Mould spores occur naturally in our outdoor environment, but where growth becomes established indoors, spores and other biological contaminants can become airborne. Because of this, the extent of a problem is not always obvious from what can be seen. Growth may be hidden within building materials or ventilation systems, whilst the presence of invisible airborne spores can go undetected without specialist testing.

Workplace Mould and Employee Health

When there is an issue with workplace mould, the consequences for employees can affect their health in a number of ways. Government housing guidance links damp and mould exposure with coughing and wheezing, and common indoor moulds such as Penicillium and Aspergillus can trigger allergic reactions in people who are sensitised to their spores, causing symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and irritated eyes.

The impact of these symptoms can vary considerably. Some employees may remain at work but experience persistent discomfort or difficulty concentrating, whilst others may require time off work if symptoms become more severe or existing conditions are aggravated. A study of 16,084 Finnish employees compared reports of workplace mould with sickness absence data collected over subsequent years, and found that employees who reported mould within their workplace had a 20% higher rate of long-term sickness absence than employees who did not.

These findings support a wider concern for employers: where mould is left unaddressed, the consequences often extend beyond individual symptoms and begin to affect the wider functioning of the workplace. Recognising and investigating these concerns is therefore an important part of protecting employee health and meeting employer legal duties to manage workplace health risks.

Employer Responsibilities and Legal Duties

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their employees at work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also require employers to identify potential causes of illness, assess the level of risk, and take appropriate steps to eliminate or control that risk.

More specific requirements apply to the workplace itself. Regulation 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires workplaces and relevant systems to be maintained in working order, and Regulation 6 requires enclosed workplaces to receive a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air. HSE guidance also states that mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems should be regularly tested and maintained so they remain free from anything that may contaminate the air.

These duties become particularly relevant where there is persistent evidence of poor ventilation or recurring employee health concerns. Symptoms alone cannot establish that mould is responsible, making objective investigation important where there is reason to suspect an indoor air quality problem. Failure to meet health and safety duties can lead to enforcement by the HSE or relevant local authority, including improvement or prohibition notices, fines, and possible prosecution where appropriate.

How Envirochem Can Help

Where there are concerns about mould or indoor air quality, the appropriate investigation strategy will depend on the workplace and the nature of the concern. For example, where the presence or extent of airborne contamination cannot be identified through building inspection alone, workplace air monitoring can provide additional evidence and information to support next steps.

Envirochem’s Occupational Hygiene specialists offer bioaerosol monitoring for airborne contaminants, including mould spores. Monitoring programmes are designed around the individual workplace, with suitable sampling methods selected according to the environment and concerns being investigated. Samples can then be analysed to provide reliable information about levels of potential biological contamination within workplace air.

Our BOHS-qualified Occupational Hygiene consultants can consider these findings alongside conditions observed on site, and provide practical recommendations where improvements are needed. This may involve investigating ventilation or identifying where further action is required to understand and control the source of contamination.

By investigating concerns early, businesses can establish whether mould is affecting their workplace and take action to protect employee health before a persistent indoor air quality issue begins to have wider consequences.

To learn more about how Envirochem can help support the health of both your workplace and workforce, visit our Workplace Air Monitoring page or contact us to discuss your concerns.