The Australian Chapter of Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) has released a new Draft Reference and Guidelines for Post Cleaning Validation of Buildings Contaminated with SARS-CoV-2.
This is an updated version of the original Draft of guidelines, published in April, on the validation of post-cleaning work in buildings where a person infected with COVID-19 was present.
The original document contained input from several sectors, including certified occupational hygienists who specialise in contaminated buildings; doctoral authors; several of the country’s leading infection control, biosafety and disinfection experts; experts in HVAC and its decontamination; and the Chair of the Australian Council of the Restoration Industry Association.
IAQA Australia says the update reflects feedback to the original Draft and substantial changes to the thresholds for Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) testing, and more flexibility to include other built structures, and buildings with non-infected people and item-specific thresholds.
“These guidelines are designed to provide information and assurance to workers, those they come in contact with, and those returning to a building where an infected person was present,” says IAQAA President, Claire Bird.
“I deeply thank the members of IAQA Australia for their amazing contributions to the IAQ industry through these Guidelines and hope the publication is useful for the many people involved in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Established in 1995, the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) is dedicated to bringing practitioners together to prevent and solve indoor environmental problems for the benefit of consumers and the public.
IAQA Australia is a not-for-profit incorporated body that provides national support for its members, whilst bringing in the news and expertise from the IAQA in the United States.
Please direct your enquiries to: contact@iaqaaustralia.org.au
The draft guidelines are available here.