Knowledge
Educate your employees about the 3 ways to get infected with Covid-19.
Learn about what safety precautions and policies to implement to protect them.
Droplets
Aerosols
Surfaces
Droplets
What is a Droplet?
A droplet is a respiratory secretion expelled by an individual that is > 5-10 micrometers in diameter - a particle vector for viral transmission.
Droplets are > 5-1 micrometers and fall to the ground
How do droplets spread the virus?
Respiratory droplets are spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, or talks.
Droplets can be inhaled by nearby individuals, and also fall towards the ground and coat nearby surfaces. They move similar to a ballistic - and will fall once they have stopped accelerating.
How can I protect my coworkers and myself from droplets?
Wear a face covering that catches droplets within it to prevent inhalation & fomite transmission.
Cloth masks are fairly effective; they filter 30% of particulates when inhaling, and block 50% of exhaled droplets. N-95 & KN-95 are highly effective and remove 95% of all particles that are at least 0.3 microns in diameter.
Masks must completely cover the nose and mouth to mitigate risk, a proper fit is what dictates their effectiveness.
Maintain a social distance from others at a CDC recommended minimum of 6 feet.
DROPLETS
Recommended policies & procedures:
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1
Encourage employees that are getting up and walking around the office to wear their masks, and cover both nose and mouth.
2
Mandate mask wearing in poorly ventilated or small shared spaces - and when communicating directly with coworkers.
4
Make sure that individuals are seated at a minimum of 6 feet from one another in open areas.
3
Mandate mask wearing in elevators, bathrooms, and enclosed spaces.
Aerosols
What is an Aerosol?
An aerosol is a respiratory secretion ≤ 5 micrometers in diameter also called a “droplet nuclei”.
Aerosols are formed through the evaporation of droplets, and through exhalation and talking, they travel and are suspended in air over long distances and time, like fog.
Aerosols are
≤ 5 micrometers
and travel in the air like fog
Droplets fall to the ground
How do aerosols spread the virus?
An infected individual simply breathing within an enclosed space over a long period of time increases the density of suspended viral particles in the air.
Individuals sharing the same space may inhale these contaminants, and the longer droplets have to evaporate and become aerosolized or the longer the infected individual talks/breathes, the greater the amount of viral particles they may inhale.
How can I protect my coworkers and myself from aerosols?
Consider learning about filtration systems, identify areas of poor ventilation, and limit the time people can spend with one another in enclosed spaces.
Look into your HVAC building ratings to assess airborne transmission risk- and identify ways to increase ventilation in every shared space.
AEROSOLS
Recommended policies & procedures:
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1
Evaluate the effectiveness of the buildinging’s HVAC and filtration systems.
2
Improve the MERV filter (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values) rating to lower transmission risk in shared open air spaces.
3
Improve ventilation and fresh air flow in the office.
4
Limit the amount of time individuals may spend in a shared workspace or meeting room (e.g. one hour maximum) through space reservation.
5
Enforce that meetings held in person must have all members wearing masks - they substantially protect individuals in close proximity when worn correctly.
6
Increase air filtration, for example, by installing HEPA filters in poorly ventilated shared spaces to remove aerosolized particles in the space.
Surfaces
What is Fomite Transmission?
Fomite transmission occurs when droplet sized particles carrying a virus land on a surface. An individual touching/interacting with that contaminated surface may contract the illness.
Droplet sized particles carrying a virus
High traffic/risk surfaces
· Desks/Conference tables
· Telecom devices
· Door handles
· Writing utensils
· Copy/Fax machines
· Desktops
· Laptops
· Keyboards
· Computer accessories
· Chairs
· Kitchen appliances
How can I protect my coworkers and myself from fomite transmission?
Identify communal or high traffic surfaces in the office, proactively disinfect them before and after use, and frequently wash your hands within the premises. Be mindful of shared spaces, elevator buttons, and door handles as you navigate the office.
SURFACES
Recommended policies & procedures:
1
Encourage hand washing frequently especially when navigating the office or interacting with communally used objects.
2
Disinfect all work surfaces/shared spaces with an EPA-registered household disinfectant.
3
Encourage the use and distribution of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) containing 60-95% alcohol and disinfectant wipes in conjunction with hand washing protocols.
4
Avoid using hand dryers in bathrooms to prevent the spread of aerosolized particles.