EPA updates ventilation guidance to curb the spread of respiratory viruses

Washington — Employers can help prevent the spread of common respiratory viruses indoors by ensuring proper workplace ventilation and limiting the use of small, shared spaces, the Environmental Protection Agency says.

Updated guidance from EPA states that respiratory viruses can spread more easily indoors because of people’s proximity to one another as well as the possible buildup of “viral concentration.” Through recommendations intended for workplaces, schools and homes, the agency outlines multiple strategies to help control the spread via a multilayered approach.

They include:

• Increase outside-air ventilation to the maximum extent practical.
• Adjust or reconfigure airflows to minimize the spread of viruses.
• Filter air recirculated by the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system through the building and upgrade HVAC filters to the highest minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV, possible.
• Use portable air cleaners in areas that are hard to ventilate with outside air or have high density or occupancy.
• Avoid air treatment devices that generate ozone, a known lung irritant.
• Reconfigure adjoining workstations so employees don’t face one another.
• Reduce crowding by offering options for telework, staggered schedules, and remote or video meetings.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces often and wash hands regularly.

In a press release, Joseph Goffman, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, calls the guidance “a valuable tool in protecting against the spread of common airborne respiratory viruses indoors, where we spend about 90% of our time.”

He added: “In addition to immunizations, handwashing and other key preventive measures, taking action to promote healthier indoor air helps to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses indoors.”