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This Message Originated Outside the Company

Yes, John, I have a question that is slightly off this topic, but as a former respirator expert, you might be best person to answer this question.

The AIHA back-to-work plans and two other union plans I have evaluated suggest using a face shield alone instead of any kind of mask. Now I've see a lot of mask studies, some even on DIY masks.  While the protection they offer is not perfect, they at least do SOMETHING.  But a piece of plastic that the air can go freely around on three sides which is hung a couple inches from the face, clearly stops almost nothing -- nothing going out, and nothing coming in.  What memo did I miss here?

I even have a fact sheet from Canada warning healthcare workers to refuse to comply when employers tell them that the face shield alone is enough.  So this monster has legs.

I've suggested workers tell employers they will comply with this face shield plan the minute the employer shows them one peer reviewed study demonstrating the efficacy of this procedure.  And since there doesn't appear to be one anywhere, they are safe so far.  

Monona Rossol

-----Original Message-----
From: John Callen <jbcallen**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Sent: Tue, May 19, 2020 7:40 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] DRAFT - Please review and send comments.

Thanks Ralph for your comments below.

Again, I want to emphasize from my previous suggestions that PREPARE/CHECK FACILITIES should include how to control public and semi-private bathrooms which are "high touch" areas.  I mentioned that faucets, soap and towel dispensers, toilets and drinking fountains should be motion activated and NO hand dryers, please!   The one other item which also must be addressed is access in/out of the bathroom and toilet stalls themselves.  To avoid touching door handles, knobs or plates, access should be automatic as for physically challenged individuals or remove the door completely and place a partition in front of it as you find in many of the airport concourses.  As for the toilet stalls, maybe we should go back to open stalls without doors; however, I do not know if that would be a Federal, State or Local Department of Health violation or just a public outcry regarding privacy.  Regardless, many institutions will have to increase their custodial staff to service and maintain their public bathrooms on a more frequent basis or have full time attendants.

In much as bathrooms are an area of "high touch" so are vending machines for tools, PPE and other supplies and those for beverages and/or snacks.  What disinfection/sanitation procedures must be established for them before and after each use?

For Barrier/Location Marking, while some institutions do have the luxury of having a "Sign and Graphics Department," many do not.  As a FYI, although there are many local or regional suppliers, there are at least two national manufacturers who could help with your needs and you may know of them already: ARC (San Ramon, CA) and The Brady Company (Milwaukee, WI).  You may want to check their websites so you don't have to proverbially "reinvent the wheel."

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.  Thanks!

Be Safe and Well!

John B. Callen, Ph.D.

3M Personal Safety Division - Retired

DCHAS Founding Member

(312) 632-0195

On May 19, 2020, at 5:15 PM, Stuart, Ralph <Ralph.Stuart**At_Symbol_Here**KEENE.EDU> wrote:

Maybe thinking practically opens up people to too much liability?

You make good points about the challenges that reopening with very little fundamental data available about the epidemic and the subsequent cultural shifts that will be required available.

However, my sense is that liability is not the concern; the most recent list of operating scenarios for how we might open here had 11 possibilities. These are too many to think about practically at operational safety level. This list is being winnowed down as more data becomes available (financial and student count data as much as scientific data), but I suspect that it will be another month before there's enough clarity to get concrete planning underway.

Thanks for raising these considerations that we are all working with.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Environmental Safety Manager
Keene State College
603 358-2859

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu

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