The law

In the UK, the legislation that directly applies to mould in the workplace is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.

COSHH requires employers to reduce risks of mould exposure to employees and others. Typical actions for a museum include:

  • Identifying mould outbreaks.
  • Assessing risks of mould exposure, particularly to susceptible individuals (see Why is it hazardous?)
  • Providing measures to reduce exposure, e.g. signage / labels, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), hand hygiene facilities.
  • Ensuring protective measures are being used.
  • Providing information, instruction, training or supervision.

Control measures should be in proportion to the risk of exposure.