As someone with a background in mold assessment and remediation in Texas, I can say there are a few key steps you need to follow when dealing with mold. First, it is important that you work with a company that is licensed in Texas to ensure the highest quality of service including the necessary training and experience to effectively deal with mold issues. Second, do not let your insurance company tell you that you cannot use a company of your choosing. Saving a few bucks by not using a licensed company may be very costly in the long run.

Red Flag Issues!

A contractor you find on the internet comes to your home or business and tries to assess and write a protocol (work plan) all at the same time. They also recommend a couple of companies who will do the remediation work at a very attractive price. There are many unlicensed companies who do this. Easy, Peasy (One Stop Shopping, Right)? STOP! STOP! STOP! They try to get you to sign with them and now you are stuck with a company that has deliberately avoided the state rules and they cannot deliver what you are looking for or need to protect yourself and your property.

First, ask whether or not the mold remediator has a Texas License. If he or she responds "yes" ask to see a copy of the license or a card showing the number. The license must be from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. And the letter/number sequence must have the following: MRC#xxxxx. That is the letters "MRC", which stand for Mold Remediation Contractor followed by "#" and five numbers. Do not settle for any license other than this. Commonly, a non-licensed company will try to pass off a worker's license which has MRW#xxxxx. This is a mold remediation worker who has attended a half day training certification and is not allowed to work on your property unless he is being actively supervised by a licensed Mold Remediation Contractor. It's not a license, it's a certification to work. The state rules and regulations state this very clearly.

Second, ask this mold remediator if they can issue a CMDR. This is a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation which is a Department of Insurance form saying that the work done on your home/office has followed the protocol and has been inspected and cleared according to the rules and regulation of the State of Texas. It also does something else which is KEY. It relieves you of any Civil Actions/Penalities that come about as a result of a claim made by a future owner or someone coming onto your property saying thy have been harmed by mold that was not cleaned up properly, or you did not follow the state rules. The two licensed companies that you need will sign the CMDR are both licensed to do so. An unlicensed contractor cannot sign anything. Therefore, you are left without any guarantee or liability protection. An insurance company may choose to not insure your property unless you have a signed CMDR.

If the person or company you are intending to hire cannot produce a valid license issued by the state of Texas, from the Department of Licensing and Regulation you do not have any guarantee the work will be done right.

Mold is not a game. Mold can be very hazardous to you, your family and pets, anyone you work with or any guest that walks into your home/office (even for one minute). Mold is definitely not something you want to play around with.

Working with a licensed Mold Assessment Consultants and Remediation Contractors ensure that the job will be done properly.

The TMARA has lowered its annual membership fee to $45 per person. Add as many of your company's eligible licensees as you like. This new fee structure is to encourage NEW members and reward those who are already affiliated with our association. 

• Membership allows access to Blogs, and Message Boards along with the ability to contribute your thoughts and wishes for the industry and what you would like to see in the future.
• You will receive in your membership packet a logo file that enables you to attach it to emails, and documents. This will show that you belong to Texas' only association affiliated with the mold industry. 

Let's make 2023 the year that we hit 500 new members and become a strong voice for our industry with the TDLR and state officials.  

The Texas Mold Assessors and Remediators Association would like to announce the appointment of two new board members.

Brad Caldwell, Vice President of Business Development and Texas-licensed Mold Assessment Consultant for Greenworks, Inspections and Engineering. Greenworks is a woman-owned business providing inspections, structural engineering and environmental testing services for residential and commercial properties.  

Morris Smith, Owner of STOP Restoration of Crowley, Texas. STOP stands for Service Team of Professionals. Morris is a Texas-licensed Mold Remediation Contractor. STOP is a restoration company specializing in mold, water and fire restorations. 

The TMARA organization and current board members welcome Brad and Morris to the association and look forward to their contribution for the next two years. 

Moldlab, Ltd., is a licensed Mold and Asbestos environmental laboratory located in Carrollton Texas. We are a small, woman-owned business, with a staff of eight super awesome people. We are accredited by both the AIHA and NVLAP, one for mold and the other for bulk asbestos analysis. And in 2022, we proudly celebrated our 22nd year of business!

Contact info: 

Moldlab, Ltd.

2501 Mayes Road, Suite #110, Carrollton, Texas 75006

972-820-9373 lab line

Toll free 1-866-416 6653 (MOLD) info@moldlab.com

2.        Were you raised in Texas or just got here as fast as you could like the rest of us?  The latter, I was born and raised in Wichita Kansas but have lived, worked, and made Texas my home for nearly 30 years now.

3.        Tell us a little bit about your educational background and certifications.  I have an Associate’s in Environmental Technology, a bachelor’s degree from UTD, three or four courses in mold and asbestos microscopy from McCrone in Chicago, an Advanced Spore ID course and an individual spore certification from the Pan American Aerobiology Certification Board (PAACB) that I have maintained for nearly 20 years.

My entry into the field came as a result of the Environmental Technology Program at Brookhaven Community College.  As a part of their Associate’s degree program they offered internship assistance, and I applied and was hired for my first lab job.  My internship was with a cosmetic company, working as a technician in their QA/QC microbiology lab.  Next up was a job was at an environmental lab analyzing both mold and asbestos and doing some SEM QC work. Then after a few years there, I decided to take a stab at being my own boss and opened a one person lab in Addison…Moldlab!

5.       What are some of the other services you provide besides mold and asbestos?  Let’s see, well, we offer logo branded reports, which is important when a consultant is working to build their own company brand recognition.  Another, would be “The Flashback” report.  The “Flashback” is unique to Moldlab, Ltd. and is a powerful reporting tool for mold Consultants.  The report uses the outdoor data of local, licensed DFW consultants to generate a historical report with both a previous ‘2-week average’ and a ‘this time last year average’.  Customers have said that having the additional outdoor data is handy when interpreting mold results for their own customers.   Additionally, we sell testing supplies and equipment.  Local customers really like the convenience of being able to stop by the lab and grab a box of cassettes or rent an extra pump for a large job when needed.

6.       What makes Moldlab stand out from other companies doing the same type of work?  What I hope makes us stand out is that we are helpful.  Consultants should rest assured that if they send their work to an accredited laboratory that the lab has thoroughly demonstrated technical proficiency, has a solid quality control program and a stellar record keeping system in place.  But being genuinely helpful to our customers makes all the difference.

Most likely though, what probably makes Moldlab stand out from the rest is our outstanding coffee and candy bar! Ha ha, just kidding of course, but it is pretty darn popular.

7.       Everyone talks about “customer service”, tell us about how your customers will experience that difference you want to make with them?  No secret sauce here.  We just always do our best to be helpful, and we treat our customers the way we like to be treated when we patron a business.

8.       You expanded your business significantly after the Pandemic at a time when most businesses were struggling. How did you do that?  When our clients grow, we grow. We were fortunate to have a couple of clients who secured large projects during the pandemic, which then trickles down to us in the form of samples.  Aside from that, during the pandemic we re-evaluated our internal processes and our line of services and discontinued a couple of test codes that were both costly to the lab and that had low customers usage.  Discontinuing services is always a difficult decision because it takes a lot of research and training to offer something new, only to then discontinue it a few years later, but necessary all the same.

9.       What words would you have for other entrepreneurs out there who would like to follow in your footsteps and become a business owner?  Don’t be afraid to ask other business owners for guidance.  Keep in mind that the person you ask for help doesn’t necessarily need to be in the same industry as you.    Luckily for new entrepreneurs fining guidance may be easier than you think because the struggles with running any small business, regardless of industry, are remarkably similar:  funding, staffing, human resources, networking, accounting, growing, etc.

10.   Any last comments?  Yes, thank you for the opportunity to talk about Moldlab.  As I had mentioned to Mr. Culley before agreeing to be interviewed, I tend to shy away from things like this, but as a small business owner, and entrepreneur, perhaps the interview will serve as encouragement to others to go ahead and take that leap of faith, believe in yourself and start your own business.

+ via Getty Images

By Ted Craig

The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season had been fairly quiet. This was the first time in eight years that there were no pre-season named storms. Then came the week of Sept. 12. First, Hurricane Fiona started to form, becoming a tropical depression on Sept. 14 and heading for the U.S.

Fiona caused major damage to Puerto Rico and parts of Canada, but missed the U.S. for the most part after threatening the East Coast. But a weak after Fiona’s formation started, Ian began building up in the West Indies. After hitting Cuba as a category 3 hurricane on Sept. 27, the storm headed for Florida.

The Keys were the first part of the state to experience Ian, as category 3. But the hurricane strengthened to a category 4 as it reached the mainland Sept 28. There were sustained winds of 145 mph, torrential rains reaching nearly two feet, and numerous tornadoes. The storm moved across Florida and then hit South Carolina on Sept. 30 with sustained winds of 85 mph.

Hurricane Ian left more than 100 people dead. It also caused billions of dollars of property damage. It’s now up to the restoration industry to repair that damage. The large national companies, along with local and reginal Texas companies, started mobilizing their catastrophe response before Ian made landfall.

One of the biggest issues facing restoration efforts now is the insurance situation in Florida. There are estimates that a large number of homeowners in the affected areas lack any kind of property insurance. Then there are the conflicts that often arise between restorers, homeowners and insurance companies following any hurricane.

The author (Ed Cross) says that restoration contractors need to form alliances with homeowners anytime they are working with insurance companies. Cross said to explain early on that while adjusters and consultants want to help homeowners, they also want to control costs.

Cross recommends having the homeowner sign an insurance information release form so contractors can communicate directly with the carriers. He said contractors need to push carriers to fully comply with the policies they sold.

The 4th quarter meeting was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. The meeting was held via video conference on October 25, 2022.

Q4 Meeting Minutes

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) 1910.134 (a) (2) states the following:

1910.134(a)(2)

A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer shall provide the respirators which are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program, which shall include the requirements outlined in paragraph (c) of this section. The program shall cover each employee required by this section to use a respirator.

1910.134(c)

Respiratory protection program. This paragraph requires the employer to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures and elements for required respirator use. The program must be administered by a suitably trained program administrator. In addition, certain program elements may be required for voluntary use to prevent potential hazards associated with the use of the respirator. The Small Entity Compliance Guide contains criteria for the selection of a program administrator and a sample program that meets the requirements of this paragraph. Copies of the Small Entity Compliance Guide will be available on or about April 8, 1998 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Office of Publications, Room N 3101, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20210 (202-219-4667).

One of the most egregious mistakes that we see while in the field is the lack of attention to the above guidelines. Further the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules state:

MINIMUM WORK PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES FOR MOLD ASSESSMENT. MOLD ASSESSMENT.

 (c) Personal protective equipment for assessors. If an assessment consultant or company determines that personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used during a mold assessment project, the assessment consultant or company shall ensure that all employees who engage in assessment activities and who will be, or are anticipated to be, exposed to mold are provided with, fit tested for, and trained on the appropriate use and care of the specified PPE. The assessment consultant or company must document successful completion of the training before the employees perform regulated activities.

MINIMUM WORK PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES FOR MOLD REMEDIATION. MOLD REMEDIATION.

(c) Personal protective equipment. If an assessment consultant specifies in the mold remediation protocol that PPE is required for the project, the remediation contractor or company shall provide the specified PPE to all employees who engage in remediation activities and who will, or are anticipated to, disturb or remove mold contamination, when the mold affects a total surface area for the project of 25 contiguous feet or more. The recommended minimum PPE is an N-95 respirator. Each employee who is provided PPE must receive training on the appropriate use and care of the provided PPE. The remediation contractor or company must document successful completion of the training before the employee performs regulated activities.

Most new consultants and remediators are young and don’t think about the long-term exposure they are about to encounter working in the mold services industry. Workers in this industry are exposed to mold in different quantities, but all are exposed repeatedly. When scoping new jobs, most consultants and remediation contractors barely wear any protective respirator gear. The most basic N95 is the standard that we see in the field. This is a fatal flaw in their approach to working around mold and mold spores.  Employers/Supervisors must set the example. Remember, the health and safety of your employees depend on you following the guidelines and setting the example.

Sincerely,

Jake White

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Thank you for stopping by to read about our industry. The Texas Mold Assessors and Remediators Association has up until now been focused on legislative actions, following the Texas lawmakers, and interfacing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. We see a shift in our focus is now necessary to provide our members with more information about our industry, but will still be offering commentary on the TMARR rules and regulations along with any updates we receive from the TDLR.

Recently, the Texas Department of State Health Services notified several of our members that as of September 2, 2022, they would no longer be handling inspections and enforcement for the Mold Program. Without any official announcement we are aware of their actions but have very little in the way of official language. Our sources at the TDSHS told some of our members that the TDLR sent inspectors out in the field to “train” with the TDSHS inspectors, but there was no mention of anything concrete about who, what, and where. The when of course is September 2, 2022. If anyone has any more information, please contact the TMARA via email <jake@culleyenviro.com>, and we will get the word out to our members and anyone else who logs in to our website.

The old saying goes “There is strength in numbers.” Many of us won’t remember, but Strength In Numbers was a bluegrass supergroup formed in the late 1980s. The reason we won’t remember them is that they only released one album in 1989, “Telluride”. Failing to sustain themselves is ironic.

Strength in numbers means simply: An advantage related to the large number of people involved (in something).  No question our Association has not lived up to our expectations regarding total membership. We have had members come and go with the real issue being what do we have to offer our members. Originally, we thought the survival of our industry was dependent on gaining insight into the workings of the legislature and people like Mike Marshall, Dana Brown and Mike McNatt were key critical is making our case that the TMARR mold assessment and remediation rules are vital for the consumers of the state of Texas. But as far as becoming a voice for the industry, that is contingent upon us gaining strength in numbers. Recently during discussions with Board members Mike Marshall and Linda Lauver, the TDLR indicated that it will establish an Advisory Board for the Mold licensees. This is a great step. Having an industry association is also very important. Look for announcements about our new membership pricing that are coming soon.

We hope you will continue to follow the TMARA as we intend to provide regular content and post them on our blog and social media accounts.