In early 2021 schools and businesses across the country continued to reopen even as the Delta variant of COVID-19 emerged in the U.S. This created school and workplace safety concerns. We covered topics that stressed the importance of air purification to restore worker confidence. We also discussed how schools used funds from the American Rescue Plan to address aging mechanical systems, and we ended with a call to businesses to raise their IAQ standards to keep occupants safe. Let’s take a look back at some of these issues as well as the solutions we put forward.
Safety in the Classroom
In April we discussed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that went into effect in early 2021. This plan provided financial assistance to businesses and schools struggling with school and workplace safety concerns. In particular, the plan included billions of dollars of assistance to elementary and secondary schools. This gave administrators much-needed help in their efforts to lower the risk of COVID transmission. Many school districts used these funds to update outdated and aging HVAC equipment.
For its part, Pure Air Control Services addresses school safety concerns. This includes inspecting, disinfecting, and monitoring environmental conditions. The goal is the improvement of airflow and indoor air quality in school buildings. This includes a Building Health Check to evaluate conditions, as well as an HVAC Assessment to measure the effectiveness of the HVAC system. In addition, IAQ Guard monitors conditions 24/7.
Addressing Workplace Safety
School safety concerns many Americans, of course, but in April, we addressed the need for workplace safety. We highlighted the findings of a study conducted by Wakefield Research. The study involved 2,000 workers in the US, UK, Germany, and countries in the Middle East. Almost 70 percent reported that they did not feel safe in the buildings where they worked.
We recommended air purification measures as an effective way to clean indoor air and restore worker confidence. We also provided guidance on what to look for when choosing air purification technology. That included factors such as multi-stage filtration and devices that use a combination of bipolar ionization technology.
As an example, AeraMax Professional air purifiers use a 4-stage filtration system to eliminate odors and VOCs. Its HEPA filter traps 99.97 percent of airborne pollutants. These devices use PlasmaTrue technology to destroy mold, bacteria, and other pathogens. They use Enviro-Smart technology to adjust their operation according to room occupancy. These devices also integrate seamlessly into the building environment as they relieve school safety concerns.
Environmental Test Chamber
In May, we put the focus on our Environmental Diagnostic Laboratory. The EDLab uses an environmental test chamber to test products in real-world situations. Once deemed safe to do so, some businesses rushed to reopen after the pandemic. As a consequence, many relied on inferior products that were not been properly tested. By contrast, our EDLab tests a variety of technologies to address school and workplace safety concerns.
Our EDLab performs testing on a variety of products including air-cleaning devices, cleaning products, vacuum cleaners, textiles, clothing, and more. The lab also provides a detailed report providing certification of efficacy as well as data logs and photo documentation.
Higher IAQ Standards
In June, we talked about the importance of maintaining high IAQ standards in buildings to alleviate workplace and school safety concerns. We presented some challenges facilities managers face in addressing IAQ. Chief among them are viruses like SARS-CoV-2, of course, but also influenza and Legionnaire’s disease. Sick Building System (SBS) is another condition that occurs in poorly ventilated environments.
SBS leads to lower worker morale and loss of productivity. Therefore, addressing ventilation issues is key to preventing outbreaks. Once again, Pure Air Controls’ services of biosurveillance, disinfection, and monitoring address all of these issues. Not only do building occupants benefit from a healthy building, but it also gives buildings clearance after a risk assessment and provides assurance to building occupants that IAQ standards are a priority.
Pure Air Control Services helps facilities managers address their school and workplace safety concerns as it pertains to IAQ.
