Decontamination and Risk Reduction
Important information on Decontamination Benefits and Failures You Must Read This
Whatever your symptoms and diagnosis, there is now a clear health issue that the World Health Organisation recognise as an epidemic with a focus on mould called the Great Masquerade of the 21st Century because so many illnesses are misdiagnosed. Our homes may be responsible for “Building-related illness”, the full extent of which is currently unknown, with VOCs, bacteria and water damage known triggers. The medical diagnosis may be varied and often disputed by conventional medicine but increasing evidence points to inflammatory response. (Download description) Inflammatory response is where the human body overreacts to triggers and ends with a multitude of possible symptoms from Chronic fatigue to Brain fog and possibly cancer and Alzheimer’s. The level, extent and source of exposure coupled to your personal vulnerabilities or immune response are factors, but synergy between all inflammagens is unlikely to ever see deliverable standards of clearance to suit all. This makes clearance levels impossible to ever achieve and cost will always be a major factor in how effective or beneficial any decontamination can be. This is why we offer three distinct options or will tailor requirements in discussion with you or your healthcare professional.
Decontamination and Risk reduction objectives
This method can be used to improve the environment by reducing biological activity normally essential post water damage event or after remediation. It should not be confused with detailed decontamination although is generally but mistakenly seen as the industry standard method of mould removal. Although of some benefit to those suffering mould illness, it is not a recommended method and does not remove the greatest risks and hazards of inflammagens .
The process
- You will need to vacate the property for at least 8 hours
- We will apply a dry or wet fog-activated Hydrogen Peroxide to permeate through the property, and this remains airborne for around 4 hours
- We will apply a dry or wet fog-activated Hydrogen Peroxide to permeate through the property, and this remains airborne for around 4 hours
Note: The protective film is estimated by manufacturers to last up to 90 days but can last much longer depending on environmental conditions
Finance available for decontamination and treatment by healthcare professional
Internationally accepted standard of mould remediation
This method of mould removal is internationally established and accepted in ISO standards as the measurable and achievable target. The standard reflects the requirement for 80% of the population when exposed to mould and associated health effects, however, it may not provide satisfactory results for 20% of the population with the specific HLA gene vulnerability who typically may have been diagnosed with CIRS.
NOTE. Those with HLA gene vulnerability may see little or no benefit with this protocol.
The aim of this standard is to achieve normal environmental conditions where biological activity is halted and removed or reduced to levels found in the normal environment. These are measurable results which comply to IICRC S520 Condition 1. Condition 1 does not accommodate the identification or removal of most significant health risks of dead and non-viable mould spores or bacteria which can trigger CIRS and greatly influence treatment of those with HLA gene vulnerability. Building Forensics can assist the client by providing some or all of the components in this protocol and of course provide third party clearance if requested.
Payment plans for Health care and Decontamination
Building Forensics can introduce our clients to both healthcare professionals and payment plans to cover treatment and decontamination.
Payment plans for decontamination and treatment by Healthcare professionals
This is the only protocol likely to benefit to clients who have been diagnosed with CIRS or any form of Inflammatory response. This process is designed to remove or reduce inflammagens and triggers which may have caused or be assumed to be responsible for or aggravating medical conditions including CIRS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, MS etc. It may be beneficial if we discuss objectives and targets with your medical team. This protocol of risk reduction targets not only active and viable mould and bacteria but also non-viable, dormant and hyphal fragments and chemical VOCs. This method requires a pre action survey to identify risk areas and hazards present to focus on correct actions. We can introduce you to a finance plan which can also include medical treatment and decontamination costs if required.
Some clients cannot leave or vacate the property and may be chemically sensitised. For these special clients we offer a sanitation service which is both beneficial and low risk and economical. The process is a dry fog produced by a patented applicator machine that provides what is recognised as the safest of all decontamination protocols. The chemical used is produced in the human body which uses it to attack bacterial and fungal infections. The property is misted with a very fine dry mist in a process which generally takes less than one hour and there is no requirement for PPE. Option 3 Medically Sound Decontamination Option 4 Chemically sensitive clients Lab results and data are provided to show this low-cost service is a real benefit in the right circumstances.
The major route of all mould illness is inhalation and small inflammatory fragments of mould and bacteria enter the blood stream through the lower respiratory system (alveoli)
The WHO state inhalation of mould and bacterial fragments increase dose by 40-fold. While the removal of surface mould and remediation of causation are recognised requirements to reduce exposure and health consequences, it must be recognised that mould and bacteria are airborne. While there is recognised risk of possible infection to those with compromised immune system, the highest risk affecting all, is inflammatory response, caused by the inhalation of sub-micron invisible particles. These particles can remain airborne for months because of buoyancy issues and are constantly inhaled. Science has shown standard methods of air cleaning are ineffective with data from HSE and in USA only one process is recognised as suitable for removing these quickly to enhance medically sound decontamination. Building Forensics are sole agents for this American protocol and can provide clean air in any building within hours. This process is available for all forms of air cleaning from soot to mould and even asbestos The process causes all airborne contamination to fall onto horizontal surfaces where it is locked in a temporary sacrificial film to prevent re aerosolisation as the process dries out (5 hours) This film will hold contamination for 4 days. It is the client’s responsibility to clean all surfaces with a specially written protocol using Vodka diluted 1 part to 7 with water and using a special cloth.
What is decontamination?
The term decontamination is generally used to describe the process of removing all substances present which can cause harm. Unfortunately, with water damage and mould, the contamination can include bacteria, chemicals mould spores, fragments mycotoxins and VOCS. In fact, there are over 30 specific contaminates likely to affect your health.(see our consensus document)
While some decontamination techniques would resolve all these issues, they can be at the top end of expensive protocols. Put simply, the higher the level of decontamination and evidence required, the more expensive it’s going to be.
The industry decontamination standard to medically sound requires fine particle cleaning of surfaces and air, is likely to cost five figures and almost certain to fail on its first clearance testing.
Risk reduction decontamination
Why Air cleaning to reduce building related illness is imperative?
What is Air Scrubbing?
How sick you are?
What your budget is?
If you have MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity)
Mould Decontamination (risk reduction)
1. Mechanical
1. Mechanical
2. Chemical neutralising
3. Chemical Bio Static
- Aspergillus niger
- Mucor sp.
- Aspergillus fumigatus
- Tricophyton mentagrophytes
- Aspergillus versicolor
- Tricophyton interdigitalie
- Aspergillus flavus
- Trichoderma flavus
- Aspergillus terreus
- Chaetomium globusum
- Penicillium chrysogenum
- Rhizopus nigricans
- Candida albicans
- Penicillium variabile
- Penicillium albicans
- Cladosporium herbarum
- Penicillium citrinum
- Aureobasidium pullulans
- Penicillium elegans
- Fusarium nigrum
- Penicillium funiculosum
- Fusarium solani
- Penicillium humicola
- Gliocladium roseum
- Penicillium notatum
- Stachybotrys atra
- Algae
- Yeast
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
4. Electrostatic
5. Medically Sound air scrub
Chemical air cleaning No Access to property for 4 hours post treatment.
he Airscrub process by Building Forensics is a chemical process which causes particulates to fall from the air. Sodium Borate based chemical is fogged into the air at a size of droplet that will encompass target particles and cause them to coagulate. A second chemical is fogged into the air and this causes the particles to flocculate or precipitate, basically fall out of the air due to their additional size and weight.
This produces a sacrificial glycerine film on horizontal surfaces which locks the contamination onto surfaces, decaying after 3-4 days. This delay provides the client a period to remove the sacrificial film and with it the settled contamination.
The client role in decontamination
Most clients have medical issues with mould, but we encourage them to take part in the Airscrub process because they are more likely to complete an effective clean up after the Airscrub process has been misted. Because the process is simply removing a dry film by wiping wearing gloves this is not considered a high-risk factor. Of course, you can hire people to clean up but you may need to monitor them. Moisture sensitive contents (TVs -paintings etc ) should be covered or removed. The sacrificial film which will decay after 3 or 4 days. If the film is not removed within this window, the fallen spores and detritus may re aerosolise and it is imperative thorough cleaning is undertaken to prevent re contamination.
Building Forensics only undertake the misting of the Airscrub air cleaning product but do not undertake the cleaning and removal of fallen detritus (spores) as this is labour intensive.
Protection (polythene) may be laid by the client prior to the air scrub process, and this will reduce clean up time as it can simply be rolled up and disposed. It should be noted any contamination under the sheeting will not be removed or treated within the process but remember this is an air cleaning process.
We recommend wiping down with cheap SWIFFER cloths turning to open and fold the multi fold disposable swabs. This prevents cross contamination or spreading contaminates.
Swiffer cloths are available online and in major stores and are low-cost disposable paper wipes.
The cleaning must be meticulous with every square inch being cleaned. This may require dedicated or professional cleaners used to cleaning areas with monitored results.
DRY FOG Possibly the most economic and safest but least effective
6. Eco Safe (low cost)
This technique uses nature’s own super powerful and safest of all chemical decontamination protocols Hypochlorous Acid. It is almost chemically neutral and is used by hospitals for wound cleaning, skin treatment and is a recognised and accepted biocide with efficacy against moulds and yeasts. It recently gained international approval in controlling COVID and SARS and is produced in humans white blood cells to combat infection.
The process usually takes less than an hour in most homes.
Confirmed lab results
The product should show a >5 log reduction against S.aureus in the distribution test. The product when tested as above shall demonstrate at least a 5 log reduction in viable bacterial counts, 4 log reduction in viral titers, 4 log reduction in viable fungal/yeast counts and 4/3 log reduction in viable spore counts (human health/veterinary & food and industry). The test is deemed valid where all control requirements are met.
DRY Fogging
The production unit of Hypochlorous acid dry mist
Confirmed lab results
7. Ozone treatment
8. Mycotoxins and residual cleaning
Removing Mycotoxins
While decontamination to remove toxigenic producers of mycotoxins is usually required, removal of mycotoxins may require more focussed attention. The chemical and mechanical properties of mycotoxins differ from mould spores and fragments and therefore require specific protocols for successful removal. The machine shown below was developed specifically for mycotoxin removal when used in controlled environments.High level Risk Reduction and decontamination
In this protocol we decontaminate large areas following site specific surveys. This may require intrusive investigation and some soft demolition of surface finishes.
9.Verified Decontamination (Risk Reduction)
All of our procedures are designed to fit with your budget and provide risk reduction of varying degree. Please be aware that risk reduction will revolve around how detailed our works are and of course cost will be a major driver. In all cases we recommend fine particle cleaning of air and surfaces as a final process.