An integrated approach needed to safely reoccupy workplaces
In order to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19, a customized return-to-work plan must be unique to each building.
As the world slowly navigates the treatment of, and recovery from, the coronavirus pandemic, the next phase must address a long-anticipated solution — how to safely reclaim and re-open our businesses and buildings, which have been shuttered as never before.
The uncommon nature of this pandemic necessitates a re-occupancy plan to address many questions and challenges on the precise methods for returning employees, visitors, customers and the public to our buildings. The plan must employ a calculated, well thought-out, multi-disciplined strategy, customized to meet each unique building population and configuration in the insured community.
Solutions must be initiated by business leaders in cooperation with the experts in the environmental health, safety and risk control arenas to develop a comprehensive re-occupancy infection control and prevention program. These experts include industrial hygienists, health and safety professionals, HVAC engineers, architects and perhaps, construction experts. Each provides a specific area of expertise, and works in concert to develop and implement an all-encompassing approach to getting back to work.
The first step in the development of such a plan is the integration of solutions to address both people and buildings. This includes identifying the building populations and risk profile for each group, and designing building-specific solutions focused on those exposure risks. For example, a building’s custodial staff has a higher risk than a causal office worker.
A successful re-occupancy infection control and prevention program must encompass the following three main integrated areas of focus to minimize transmission of the virus:
Deep cleaning
First, the plan should include an industrial hygiene solution to address and manage:
- The appropriate building disinfection and sterilization technologies, procedures and applicability;
- Proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE);
- Screening/monitoring the health of building occupants and guests; and
- Responding to any incidents of building occupants who have subsequently contracted the virus. Education and training of facilities’ staff is also required.
Simply equipping every building occupant and visitor with the appropriate respiratory and other personal protection is not sufficient. PPE is an important and practical defense against workplace hazards, but OSHA and the industrial hygiene community consider PPE the last line of defense. Engineering controls (i.e., disinfection cleaning, ventilation and architectural distancing) and work practice/administrative controls (i.e., methods used to eliminate or reduce a hazard) must always be considered first. The hazard is the exposure to the virus microorganism; the transfer mechanisms are considered high touch surfaces, personal close contact and possibly, airborne transmission. All of these exposure pathways must be considered.
It has been determined with certainty that, while cleaning and sanitizing buildings is part of the solution, it is, by itself, not enough. There are various options and different applicable technologies available based on the type of facility and its operations. Any effective program, therefore, must address managing the touch-to-touch transmission, disinfecting or sterilizing the spaces, and keeping buildings clean going forward.
There is also a great deal of confusion as to whom should be conducting the cleaning, the correct methods and the chemicals to be used. A disinfection protocol should be included in the re-occupancy plan. The workers conducting the cleaning must be trained and protected. Only those chemicals registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should be utilized, and only in strict accordance with their labeling. Many firms are incorrectly wet wiping, fogging or utilizing an aerosol delivery method.
Lastly, the disinfection protocol must address initial cleaning; on-going maintenance cleaning; and, a reaction plan if an occupant tests positive after returning to the workplace.
Infrastructure concerns
Second, the plan must include an HVAC engineered solution to help cleanse, dilute and kill the airborne virus particles.
Each building has its own HVAC system. These vary greatly between building type, use and age. However, there are current standards for indoor air quality and a building’s ventilation system can be utilized as part of the solution. This result should include protocols that the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recently developed for the World Health Organization. While these actions may carry an energy and cost penalty, consideration should be given to dilution, air exchange rates and increased filtration. In addition, there are current technologies that include ultra violet light and ionization and emerging technologies that utilize laser pulsation to destroy airborne pathogens.
Social distancing protocols
Third, the plan must include an architectural and social partitioning solution, in which facilities’ managers and architects translate and expand the current social distancing recommendations into executable protocols, building elements and behavioral practices for all workers and visitors.
Social distancing needs to be more than a voluntary request to maintain a six-foot separation, but architectural changes may not be practical in all building use settings. To accomplish this, space planning, workflow, partitioning, signage and possible new interior construction must be defined and implemented.
It is estimated by the U.S. government and health care officials that the threat of coronavirus will remain until a cure or vaccine is available to the public and the population has been inoculated.
But as states begin to lift restrictions on stay-in-place orders and businesses prepare to re-open, developing a comprehensive re-occupancy infection control and prevention program can be the best line of defense. An integrated approach led by a multi-disciplined team of experts can safely re-open buildings and facilities, and as a result, help return employees, customers and the public alike to the next phase: normalcy.
Wm. Chip D’Angelo (chip_dangelo@gbta.com) is division president at Gallagher Bassett Technical Services.
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