Tag: #airquality

CDC updates recommendations on building ventilation

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Washington — Occupied buildings should undergo at least five clean air changes an hour, according to updated ventilation guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The agency says air changes can be accomplished via “any combination of central ventilation system, natural ventilation or additional devices that provide equivalent [air changes per hour] to your existing ventilation.” CDC explains on its website how to calculate air changes per hour.

Another updated recommendation: installing air filters with a minimum efficiency reporting value of 13 or higher. The revised guidance also addresses post-occupancy flushing of building air and details cost considerations for ventilation strategies.

CDC also added to its list of answers to FAQs, as well as revamped all of the FAQs “to include a concise answer, followed by more detail.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

COVID-19: CPWR publishes ventilation tips for indoor construction sites

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

ventilation tips for indoor construction sites - McCraren Compliance

Silver Spring, MD — New guidance from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is aimed at improving ventilation at indoor construction sites that don’t have working heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.

Improved indoor ventilation, according to CPWR, is part of a layered approach to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, along with physical distancing, respiratory protection, face coverings and reducing the number of workers in an area.

When HVAC systems aren’t operating on a construction site, CPWR recommends the following:

  • Open windows, doors and other passages, when weather permits, to increase fresh outdoor air in a space.
  • Use fans to increase airflow and introduce more outdoor air.
  • Place fans so fresh air is drawn in from one opening in the workspace and exhausted out through another opening on the other side of the space.
  • Place fans so they move air away from workers, to avoid blowing potentially contaminated air from one worker to another.
  • Don’t use pedestal fans because they regularly mix the air rather than provide ventilation.
  • Inspect and change filters in fans and air cleaners per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • When changing filters, handle them as little as possible and wash hands afterward.
  • Consider monitoring carbon dioxide at the worksite, as elevated levels can indicate poor air circulation.

McCraren Compliance assists employers in protecting their workers, starting with a comprehensive Work-site Analysis, Hazard Prevention, Controls, and Safety & Health Training.

Please contact us today at 888-758-4757 to learn how we can provide mine safety training and consulting for your business.