Pandemic-Proofing Our Air: How Standard 241 Makes Indoor Air Safer

May 29, 2024

The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the inadequacy of existing health and safety measures against airborne viruses during a pandemic. As our understanding of the virus and its controls evolved, so did the guidance on keeping employees and clients safe. Consequently, there was a significant increase in the sales of equipment like air purifiers and disinfection methods, often driven more by hope than by solid data on their effectiveness.

For companies like T&M Associates, dedicated to reducing infection risks through innovative programs and technology, the challenge was compounded by the scarcity of available data. Recognizing the need for a new standard, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) formed its Epidemic Task Force (ETF) on March 31, 2020. ASHRAE’s efforts focused on developing standard measures and solutions after identifying the industry’s unpreparedness in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne viruses.

Read more about “Pandemic-Proofing Our Air: How Standard 241 Makes Indoor Air Safer” in Occupational Health & Safety’s May 2024 issue.