Mould Investigation: An online course for public health professionals

This is an online, self-directed and self-paced course based on the NCCEH Mould Investigation Toolkit that was originally developed for public health inspectors (PHIs) and environmental health officers. This course provides an overview of concepts, general principles and illustrations for evaluating indoor environments for mould and other microorganisms, as well as guidance on how to conduct walkthrough investigations.

Introduction

This is an online, self-directed and self-paced course based on the NCCEH Mould Investigation Toolkit that was originally developed for public health inspectors (PHIs) and environmental health officers. This course provides an overview of concepts, general principles and illustrations for evaluating indoor environments for mould and other microorganisms, as well as guidance on how to conduct walkthrough investigations. Learners can also gain familiarity and understanding of laboratory results and consultant reports that they may be asked to review. The course is provided in English only.

There are four modules in this course and each cover the following elements:

Module 1: Mould overview

• What is mould?

• Mould inspection

• Walkthough investigation checklist forms

Module 2: Sampling

• Overview of sampling

• Sampling methods

• Overview of fungal types

Module 3: Interpretation of results

• Generic information

• Direct microscopic examination methods

• Cultured samples microbial report

• Microbial investigation reports

Module 4: Mould remediation and prevention

• Mould remediation: steps

• Prevention of mould

Learning Objectives

The purpose of this course is to provide guidance to Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) who have the responsibility of responding to public inquiries about mould in indoor environments. Based on the NCCEH Mould Investigation Toolkit, public health practitioners can learn through this course general principles and skills on interpreting laboratory analytical results and field reports, as well as being able to educate the public on mould prevention and remediation. This course is not intended to train PHIs/EHOs to conduct full mould investigations. Moreover, this course does not cover the evaluation of ventilation system effectiveness.

After course completion, learners will be able to:

1. Describe what mould is and the factors that are needed for mould growth.

2. Conduct an initial walkthrough of a building to identify areas of moisture and mould growth and the factors that contribute to mould growth.

3. Know the types of mould sampling that are available and their limitations.

4. Interpret mould laboratory results and investigation reports.

5. Explain strategies for mould remediation and prevention.

Time Commitment

This course can be completed in 6-8 hours although some learners may wish to take additional time to visit external resources linked in the course. Time commitment does vary depending on the pace at which one wishes to take in reviewing course contents. Some learners may prefer to spend concentrated time completing this self-directed and self-paced course in as few sessions as possible. Others may choose to go through the course over an extended time period.

Cost

FREE! There is no cost to taking this course. Production of this course has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Continuing Education Credits

This course is approved for seven (7) PDHs under the CIPHI Council of Professional Experience (CoPE) program (Approval #CPC-2020-006). Learners will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successfully passing all four module quizzes and having completed the course evaluation (link available in the course).

Course Registration

Please click here to register for the course. Upon successful registration, learners will receive a confirmation email (please check spam folder as necessary).

Note to Learners with an active NCCEH Moodle Account: If you have activated an account through our Ready-to-Eat Meat online course, you should sign into the Mould course with the same account login credentials. You do NOT need to create a new account. When you sign in with your existing credentials, you will see the Mould Investigation course on your Moodle dashboard.

Citation

National Collaborating Center for Environmental Health. Mould Investigation. Online course. Vancouver, BC: National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health; 2020. Available from: ncceh.ca/mould-investigation-online-course-public-health-professionals.