Source: CDC COVID-19 Update and CDC Indoor Environmental Quality
New guidelines have surfaced from the CDC to provide recommendations regarding COVID-19 disease prevention.
CDC Business Sector Call for COVID-19 Video Update, April 6
Here are the CDC updates on Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to maintain a healthy work environment:
Consider improving the engineering controls using the building ventilation system. This may include some or all of the following activities:
· Increase ventilation rates.
· Increase the percentage of outdoor air that circulates into the system.
Here is why per the CDC:
“taking measures to improve ventilation in an area or room where someone was ill or suspected to be ill with COVID-19 will help shorten the time it takes respiratory droplets to be removed from the air”
The CDC provides the OSHA/HHS Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19. The document states on Engineering Controls (pg 12):
In workplaces where they are appropriate, these types of controls reduce exposure to hazards without relying on worker behavior and can be the most cost-effective solution to implement. Engineering controls for SARS-CoV-2 include:
· Installing high-efficiency air filters.
· Increasing ventilation rates in the work environment.
· Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards.
· Installing a drive-through window for customer service.
· Specialized negative pressure ventilation in some settings, such as for aerosol generating procedures (e.g., airborne infection isolation rooms in healthcare settings and specialized autopsy suites in mortuary settings).
Take steps for improvement!
Immediate action includes increasing air flow and allowing for increased ventilation of the air. This can be a challenge for clients working on a building that has always demanded on-site staff and technicians to service and maintain equipment and building functions. Many buildings have moved to remote monitoring in order to make maintenance easier, cut down on staff, and streamline required service.
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