Health effects · 1 min read
Symptoms of mould exposure: what to watch for at work
The physical symptoms that cluster in mould-affected buildings, and how facilities teams can spot patterns before they become complaints.
Mould exposure rarely announces itself. The symptoms are ordinary — the kind of thing people attribute to a cold, the weather, a bad night’s sleep. The signal is not any one symptom. It is the pattern.
Common symptoms
- Nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose and post-nasal drip.
- Irritated, watery or itchy eyes.
- Coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest and worsening asthma.
- Headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
- Skin irritation and rashes.
The pattern that matters
Symptoms that improve on weekends and holidays and return on Monday. Symptoms shared by people who sit in the same area. Symptoms that started after a water event, a renovation or a change to the air-conditioning. Any of these patterns is worth an assessment, regardless of whether anything is visible.
Who is most affected
People with asthma or allergies, the very young and the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system. In buildings that house these groups — aged care, healthcare, childcare, schools — the threshold for action should be lower.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Anyone with persistent symptoms should see their doctor.