Environmental Health At Work
Situation: When a 300-gallon water tank ruptured, water quickly emptied into office areas of an EMC policyholder. Office personnel responded quickly by using wet vacuums to remove the water. Two days later, however, they began smelling a musty odor. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that not all of the furniture had been removed from the offices prior to vacuuming.
Response: To better assess the damage, EMC’s risk improvement specialists used infrared technology to identify moisture still present in a number of areas.
Results: In response to EMC’s findings, the insured took prompt action to completely dry the affected areas, thereby reducing the need for costly replacement of damaged materials.
TIP:
Whenever an excess volume of water spills or leaks into an interior space, it must
be removed as quickly as possible. Failure to do so can lead to mold growth in
as little as 24 hours.
