COVID-19 Control Site Inspections

Building the confidence of users, as well as continuing to keep our workplaces, healthy, safe and COVID-19 Secure is going to be increasingly important with more people looking to return to their workplaces. The ability to be able to demonstrate that your place of work remains a demonstrable safe environment, will be fundamental to this.

Throughout the pandemic, the law has required employers to make sure that there is an adequate supply of fresh air in the workplace. Your stakeholders will require reassurance that you are managing key building control systems, including ventilation systems to help to reduce risks.

A well-managed air handling system will help reduce viral transmission risk. As detailed on the HSE website, ‘Good ventilation reduces the concentration of the virus in the air and therefore reduces the risks from airborne transmission. This happens when people breathe in small particles (aerosols) in the air after someone with the virus has occupied an enclosed area. However, ventilation will have little or no impact on droplet or contact transmission routes.’ Key control measures relating to fresh air supply and cleanliness of the system, can be challenged to help alleviate some of the risks.

Our workplaces offer people so much more than just a place to do a job. They are places to, see friends and colleagues, share stories, joys, concerns, find structure and inspiration, collaborate, learn, support and nurture. With their return, now is a great time to promote the strong controls you have implemented and demonstrate that the physical environment they are working in is, also conducive to their wellbeing.

 How can Assurity Consulting help?

It is likely you will have implemented several control measures within your building to reduce risk and provide a COVID-19 Secure workplace. To demonstrate this meets expectations, we can visit your premises to assess your air quality systems and check your COVID-19 operational control measures.

We can confirm the suitability of your controls from an independent viewpoint, with no vested interest and our report will provide you with a clear picture of your position. Sharing this report with your key stakeholders will demonstrate your commitment to reducing your risks. In achieving this:

• We use a combination of visual inspections, on-site testing, and laboratory analysis, to assess your buildings indoor air quality and workplace comfort conditions.
• Our indoor air quality assessment report will display the results of our testing and sampling in a colour-coded system, that highlights any areas of concern. All occupied areas of your floors will be assessed with particular focus on air supply and turnover.
• Your report will include our COVID-19 checklist demonstrating what we saw on the day, a summary of our assessment, our recommendations and, where appropriate, photographs to illustrate our findings.

Your COVID-19 control site inspection will provide you with the evidence you need to demonstrate that you are operationally reducing risk, with clear recommendations should additional measures be required.