Certified Microbial Investigator (CMI)

Hours: 28 / Access Length: 2 Months / Delivery: Open, Mentor Supported

Retail Price: $1,325.00

Course Overview:

Are you looking to get certified to do mold inspections? The most reputable mold certifications in the marketplace come from the American Council of Accredited Certification (ACAC).

The Certified Microbial Investigator (CMI) certification will demonstrate to your clients that you:

• Understand when, where and why mold and bacteria will grow
• Recognize the effects that mold and bacteria may have on health
• Assess indoor environments in a comprehensive manner, rather than just collect samples
• Comprehend how to diagnose microbial problems and write plans for them to be resolved
• Apply an industry standards of care to your work

Course Outline:

MODULE 1: COURSE OVERVIEW

• Introductions
• Course Schedule
• Exam Information
• Reference Documents
• Summary of all Course Modules

MODULE 2: BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

• Taxonomy
• Major Categories
• Fungi
• Mold
• Reproduction
• Growth Requirements
• Growth Cycle
• Mycotoxins
• Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (mVOCs)
• Fungal Glucans
• Bacteria
• Requirements for Growth
• Water Activity
• Endospores
• Gram Staining
• Endotoxins
• Sources of Bacteria
• Viruses
• Infection and Replication
• Indoor Conditions and Viruses
• Diseases Caused by Viruses

MODULE 3: HEALTH EFFECTS

• Human Organ Systems
• Categories
• At Risk Populations
• Dose Response
• Routes of Exposure
• Aerosols, Bioaerosols and Droplet Nuclei
• Building Related Symptoms
• Studies
• Risk Factors
• Physical and Psychological Stressors
• Building Related Illness
• Airborne Infectious Diseases
• Disease Transmission
• Legionnaires Disease
• Pontiac Fever
• Mycoses
• Anthrax
• Tuberculosis
• Influenza
• Immunization
• Common Cold
• Strep Throat
• Nosocomial Infections
• Pneumonia
• Hypersensitivity Diseases
• Stages of an Allergic Reaction
• Identifying an Allergic Reaction
• Prevalence of Allergies
• Allergic Rhinitis
• Asthma
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
• Toxic Reactions
• Mycotoxins
• mVOCs
• Fungal Glucans
• Endotoxins

MODULE 4: THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

• Psychrometrics
• Humidity
• Dew Point
• Psychrometric Chart Example Problems
• Sources of Building Moisture
• Liquid Water Intrusion
• Vapor Diffusion
• Designs in Different Climate Zones
• Air Infiltration
• Blower Door Tests
• HVAC
• Equipment sizing
• Occupant Generated Humidity
• Pipe Leaks and Spills
• Preventing Mold During Construction

MODULE 5: MICROBIAL INVESTIGATIONS

• Assessments and Logical Reasoning
• Scientific Method
• Assessment Plan
• Step 1: Gather Information
• Step 2: Walk Through Inspection
• Step 3: Indicator Measurements
• Step 4: Diagnostic Measurements
• Step 5: Report Your Findings

MODULE 6: MICROBIAL SAMPLING

• Why Perform Sampling
• Mold Sampling
• Air Sampling
• Viable vs Non ViableSpores
• Sampling Methods
• Devices
• Equipment
• Agar Media
• Sampling Procedures
• Sampling Times
• Laboratory Analysis
• Detection Limits
• Spore Traps
• Pump Calibration
• Variability
• Sample Locations
• Interpreting Results
• Report Examples
• Surface Sampling
• Tape Lift
• Swab
• Bulk Sampling
• Dust Sampling
• PCR Analysis
• mVOCs
• Mycotoxins
• Bacteria Sampling
• Airborne Sampling
• Devices
• Methods
• Limitations
• Interpretation
• Water Sampling
• Swab Sampling
• Endotoxins
• Laboratories
• Chain of Custody

MODULE 7: MICROBIAL REMEDIATION

• Definition of Remediation
• Review of Standards
• Safety and Health
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Contaminant Control
• Containment
• Negative Pressure
• Contaminant Removal
• Clean vs Replace
• HVAC Systems
• Biocides
• Disposal
• Verifying Remediation
• Writing Specifications
• Choosing a Contractor
• IICRC S520
• IICRC S500
• NYC Guidelines
• EPA Guidelines

All necessary materials are included.

Certification(s):

CMI applicants must possess one of the following combinations of two (2) years education and relevant field experience:

• No degree, with at least two (2) years of consulting experience in microbial sampling. (High school diploma or GED required.)
• A 2-year post-secondary degree or its equivalent (15 credit hours) in microbiology, engineering, science, architecture, industrial hygiene or related field of science with at least one (1) year documented experience in microbial sampling.

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

• Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or higher.
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions
  

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.