OSHA Issues Guidance For Workplace Ventilation
Employees that are working in person during the pandemic should be working in offices with adequate ventilation to minimize their risk of infection.
- By Nikki Johnson-Bolden
- Nov 13, 2020
OSHA released a guidance directing workplaces to set up proper ventilation in offices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on November 5, according to Business Insider.
It is recommended that offices open windows and utilize air conditioning and ventilation professionals to maximize air flow in the building, as enclosed spaces with poor ventilation put employees at risk for infection. Infected droplets can travel farther in areas that are not well ventilated. Workplaces should also have filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value rating of 13 on their HVAC systems.
Increasing the office HVAC’s outdoor air intake is another way to mitigate the amount of harmful particles inside the room.
“In such a tightly enclosed space without vigorous air movement for a short period of time, I’m afraid you might be exposed,” said William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University.
For more information on OSHA’s ventilation guidance, visit osha.gov.
About the Author
Nikki Johnson-Bolden is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety.