FACS Insider Blog: General Industrial Hygiene

Don’t let your guard down quite yet. Not only is COVID still a threat to your health, cases of influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are hospitalizing people at abnormally high rates. Those three — COVID, influenza, and RSV — are often collectively termed a “tripledemic.” We’ve written extensively about COVID in previous articles. Here,… Read more »

As we head into another summer with COVID-19, the US is experiencing a swell in case numbers after many have spent more than two years confined and yearning for that white sandy beach vacation. Despite the increase in cases, many people are eager to put their heightened stress levels behind them and make their travel… Read more »

While many of us endured the disappointment of significantly limited gatherings over Thanksgiving, the case rates are climbing. We are heading into the holidays where friends and family get-togethers are even more important and are often for extended periods of time. Thanksgiving dinners are usually limited to a few hours together, while Christmas gatherings could… Read more »

While in the continued grip of a global pandemic and the need for the public to follow significant preventative measures, the US is faced with the onset of other natural disasters. On the West Coast and along the Continental Divide there are a rash of wildfires that have erupted this month, and on the East… Read more »

As more businesses reopen and the number of cases of COVID-19 climb in the community, organizations are having to navigate the challenges, twists and turns of managing a proper response to a known or suspected case. In this discussion we talk about the fundamentals of case response in non-healthcare settings and some of the lessons… Read more »

While some may wonder where the time has gone, others may feel like they have been stuck in a continual time loop, living the same day repeatedly with no end in sight. What started in late 2019 and moved around the globe rapidly in early 2020 has now entered a new, less than desirable stage… Read more »

Physical distancing, also commonly referred to as “social distancing,” is defined as “keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home.” To practice physical distancing, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying at least six feet apart from other people. The World Health Organization recommends at least one meter (approximately… Read more »

While the country is preparing to return to work, COVID-19 safety is on everyone’s mind. Various national and local public health organizations have developed return to work protocols to assist in allowing workers to return to work and do so safely with regard to COVID-19. However, as we implement these new protocols, we must consider… Read more »

The main transmission routes for SARS-CoV-2 are direct contact or respiratory droplets (aerosols) during close contact (within  six feet for 15 minutes) with an infected person.  However, according to an early release CDC report due out this July, whether SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by aerosols remains controversial. The following discussion will try to shed some… Read more »

While the primary way that COVID-19 is thought to spread is directly from person to person, it may be possible that a person can become infected by touching a surface or an object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. This person-to-surface-to-person cross-contamination and subsequent spread of… Read more »

This week’s COVID-19 Response Update is a featured piece written by our medical consulting partner, Cogency. For more information on medical testing in the workplace to ensure a safe return-to-work program, contact the Cogency team today. Diagnostic and surveillance testing for COVID-19 provide important information for physicians and public health professionals. This includes guiding recommendations… Read more »

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is thought to spread mainly through direct transmission from person-to-person. However, we are still learning about how it is spread and there are concerns of indirect transmission (person-to-surface-to-person). Because of the anticipated potential for indirect transmission, cleaning and disinfection to reduce risks related to COVID-19 (the illness caused by… Read more »

The world of the novel Coronavirus continues to change rapidly.  As shelter in place orders are lifted and the important decision to re-occupy is made, the need to provide assurance that indoor environment is safe to re-occupy becomes more necessary.  And demand for environmental testing is on the rise. Not only is the demand for… Read more »

As we begin looking to lift shelter in place restrictions, organizations are confronted with figuring out how to adjust to the “new normal” of operating safely in the presence of COVID-19. This starts with recognizing the purpose behind the effort: Protect People. Help prevent employees, customers, and other stakeholders from contracting COVID-19, and in doing… Read more »

Public Health organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Department of Defense (DoD), and many local or state public health departments, have recently made recommendations or released guidance on the use of cloth face coverings by individuals when in public settings to slow the spread of COVID-19 illness where… Read more »

What should employers and building owners/managers be doing to protect employees and other stakeholders from COVID-19? The first thing to do is to be aware of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance. The CDC has specific guidance for businesses and retirement/independent living properties, and other facilities. Secondly, you want to have a written… Read more »

The number of COVID-19 cases in America continues to rise. So have questions regarding keeping families, co-workers and the general public safe. Public health organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide recommendations for cleaning and disinfection related to the virus responsible for COVID-19 infections, SARS-CoV-2. But… Read more »

Shelter-in-place orders, social distancing, working from home, and other epidemic response guidelines implemented on the Federal and State levels can result in secondary issues in commercial buildings such as offices, restaurants, and businesses that may have been vacant or minimally occupied for extended periods of time (i.e., more than a few days). Need for additional… Read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic is in full swing, and even with the current emergency public health measures to reduce the spread of the virus, it is expected to be of concern for an extended period of time. Organizations must prepare for the near-term impacts, but also for a “new normal” of how to include protecting their… Read more »

We are providing this communication to inform FACS clients of what we are doing as a company to address the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It is our plan to provide updates as needed, and at least weekly, during this event. COVID-19 FACS Expert Team We have formed a FACS expert… Read more »