How companies can ensure a Covid-free workplace
Germany’s national obsession with Lüften, the art of airing rooms, was sometimes regarded as a quirk best kept to itself. Even in the bleak midwinter, windows would be flung open to let fresh air in. But then the coronavirus pandemic came along.
Although it was initially disputed that coronavirus spreads through the air, we now know differently. Up to 90 per cent of infections are passed on in this way, according to Julian Tang, a virologist and professor of respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester. And it seems the Germans were right all along: studies show that good ventilation works to minimise airborne virus transmission.
This holds several lessons for companies trying to bring staff back to the office safely, as the world edges back towards ‘normality’.
One German study of air purifiers in classrooms and how they affect coronavirus transmission found that, in under half an hour, the devices could clear 90 per cent of virus-laden aerosol particles in a room. The authors of the research, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, said the units were more effective than conventional window ventilation alone.
In the UK, air quality at work is specified by the Health and Safety Executive. It says air conditioning systems must ensure the flow of fresh air does not fall below five to eight litres per second per member of staff. Or, where there is no mechanical ventilation, the HSE advises airing rooms for 10 minutes an hour to improve air quality as a stop-gap measure. Carbon dioxide monitors can be used to identify poorly ventilated rooms, the HSE adds.
But, for employers, a further factor to consider is the number of staff in any given workplace. They have to ensure that each person has 11 cubic metres of space, the HSE says.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Faqs of Insurances
