The Need to Understand Infection Risk Sources and Pathways to Mitigate HAIs

Erin Higgins and Bryan Connors | January 12, 2021

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) remain a significant source of concern for healthcare facilities of all types and sizes, and the physical environment is often a leading source of these infection-causing pathogens. Data from the CDC indicates that each year, about 1 in 25 U.S. hospital patients are diagnosed with at least one infection related to hospital...

Fieldwork in a COVID world: Lessons from Eversource in protecting customers and contractors

Leo Ryan | November 19, 2020

At the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Eversource, New England’s largest energy provider, made the tough call to suspend all in-person energy-efficiency work for the safety of both customers and contractors. However, the Fortune 500 company recognized it could neither meet the energy reduction goals mandated by regulators in each...

Research with SARS-CoV-2: Safety Considerations for BSL-2 and BSL-2+ Laboratories

Jessica Healey | August 25, 2020

Research into therapies and vaccines for COVID-19 is exploding across the globe. Laboratories looking to begin research involving SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, must rapidly assess whether their facilities, policies and training are sufficient to protect their employees and the surrounding community. SARS-CoV-2 is a new pathogen and we learn more about it every...

Preparing Schools for a Safe Reopening: Recommendations and HVAC Maintenance and Support

Jack McCarthy and Brian Baker | August 3, 2020

With the 2019-2020 school year cut dramatically short by the COVID-19 pandemic, public and private school systems and higher education institutions across the nation are exploring strategies today to prepare their buildings for a safe return to school this fall. EH&E Supports Rep. Auchincloss in Getting Kids Back to School Appropriately operating and maintained...

Practical Tips for Performing Your Hospital’s After Action Evaluation for COVID-19

Kristin Pitocco | July 2, 2020

When your hospital starts to see the crisis period for COVID-19 deescalate, it will be important to thoroughly evaluate your response to the pandemic and document the assessment in an After Action Report (AAR). What worked well? What didn’t? The extreme strain hospital staff has been under for months makes it daunting to think about...

CDC and ASHRAE HVAC Guidance for Commercial Buildings: Beware of creating new problems when modifying systems for COVID-19

Brian Baker | July 1, 2020

Across the country employers and building owners and managers are working to ready their buildings to welcome back workers and visitors after the COVID-19 shutdown. Maintaining health-protective workspaces is key for controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) during the pandemic and to help minimize the “second wave”. Building systems can play...

Six Common Mistakes When Donning and Doffing PPE that Could Lead to COVID-19 Infections

Bryan Connors | June 15, 2020

As of June 12, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that approximately 75,000 cases of COVID-19 were healthcare providers in the US. Healthcare providers are on the front lines and are at high risk of infection. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is paramount in helping to protect them from infection. Yet, PPE...

Do I Need to Disinfect My HVAC System for the Coronavirus Before Re-Occupancy?

Kevin Coghlan | April 27, 2020

We are fast approaching a point (if we are not there already) where our collective focus will shift from supporting a work-at-home strategy to planning for employees to return to the workplace. There will be a great number of issues to address prior to that happening. From a facility management perspective, one immediate question is...

Beyond the Pharmacy: Preparing for Hospital-wide Compliance with USP 800

Erin Higgins | March 16, 2020

Over the past year, there’s been a lot of discussion about how hospital pharmacies can prepare for USP 800. While hazardous drug safety is not a new concern, the new regulations set forth in USP 800 will require most hospitals to make significant changes in order to achieve and maintain compliance. However, even though the...

Successful Strategies for Creating a Culture of Laboratory Safety

Steven Lee | March 2, 2020

It’s been over 10 years since the tragic death of a staff research assistant in the chemistry department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Devastating and high-profile laboratory accidents such as this have elevated safety concerns for academic and biotech research facilities in recent years, driving many to seek ways make safety an...