Ventilation to Reduce COVID-19 Spread in Enclosed Work Areas During Cold Weather: A Survey of Construction Contractors

Details

• Journal Article:
  Ventilation to reduce COVID-19 spread in enclosed work areas during cold weather: a survey of construction contractors
• Personal Author:
  Betit, Eileen P. ; Betit, Eileen P.
• Corporate Authors:
  CPWR--The Center for Construction Research and Training ; CPWR--The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Description:
  Construction projects that are winterized to protect workers and work from cold temperatures need to address ventilation in enclosed work and rest areas. Steps taken under normal conditions (e.g., tenting, using large heaters with blowers) may increase the spread of COVID-19. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other health organizations acknowledge the importance of good ventilation in enclosed areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and have issued general guidance; however, this guidance may not be applicable or detailed enough for the varied and often unpredictable ventilation challenges found on construction sites. CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) NORA Construction Sector Council's COVID-19 Work Group have developed preliminary guidance for the construction industry on how to prevent the build-up of viral particles by improving ventilation and air quality in enclosed work areas. From December 11 to 18, 2020, CPWR conducted a brief, confidential online survey of industry decision-makers (e.g., construction contractors, owners, safety and health professionals) on behalf of the Work Group to collect information on the ventilation challenges facing the construction industry and steps being taken or planned to increase ventilation in enclosed work areas on job sites. The survey results have been and are continuing to be used to inform guidance developed by the Work Group, including the CPWR "Quick Tips to Increase Ventilation at Indoor Construction Sites Without Operating HVAC Systems". As new information becomes available on how to effectively ventilate work areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19, guidance from CPWR, the NORA Work Group, CDC/NIOSH, OSHA, and other organizations is being updated and included in the CPWR COVID-19 Construction Clearinghouse (covid.elcosh.org). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution Cold Temperature Communicable Diseases Construction Industry Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety Ventilation Viral Diseases Workplace

  More +
• Keywords:
  Construction industry; Construction; Construction workers; Safety; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Indoor environments; Infection control; Disease control; Viral diseases; Hazard communication; Guidelines; Cold environments; Temperature regulation; Ventilation; Ventilation systems; Work environment; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; OSHA; Safety education; Worker safety; Construction Sector Research Program; Airborne particles; Air quality monitoring; Information dissemination
• Source:
  Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2021 Feb; :1-14 ; Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2021 Feb; :1-14
• Series:
  NIOSH Numbered Publications   ; NIOSH Numbered Publications  
• Publisher:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  cooperative agreement OH 009762 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Genre:
  Report ; Report
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  27 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062582
• Contact Point Address:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction ; Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:741cde1f83fa9c3d0dbaf911d41cd2626a8b9bec32e3714845d4d4316ff5210b4fa5bf40678fcc4aa5ffcad43be31714c5b07ebd566a5bbe7fef8aad1df6bd3b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/106243/cdc_106243_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 710.42 KB ]