The Role of Portable Air Purifiers in Boosting Productivity and Combatting COVID-19 Thought leadership
Improving indoor air quality has been on the agenda for businesses and other institutions for some time. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution is one of the five greatest risks to public health; in fact, statistics suggest that 50% of illnesses are caused by aggravated indoor air pollution. This urgent need to improve workplace air quality has only been strengthened by the Coronavirus pandemic as the World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that most COVID-19 transmissions stem from inhaled airborne droplets, also known as aerosols. Maintaining high standards of indoor air quality, then, is a crucial step in not only safeguarding staff and customers from harmful pollutants but also in keeping the workplace COVID-free. One solution is to upgrade integrated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to improve air flow and general air quality, but this is costly, time-consuming, and labour intensive. Thankfully, there is now another effective solution in the form of hospital-grade air purifiers. These portable purifiers are simple to install and are far more cost effective than making wholesale changes to a facility’s ventilation systems. Portable air purifiers work well as an enhancement to existing ventilation systems or as standalone devices and have been shown to destroy a minimum of 99.97% of airborne viruses, while dramatically reducing indoor air pollutants. Portable Air Purifiers Unlike residential air purifiers, which can only cover small areas and are largely ineffective against airborne viruses, hospital-grade air purifiers deliver dramatic improvements to air quality by eradicating not only viruses but also harmful bacteria, allergens, mold, pollen, and vehicle emission particulates. Rensair’s air purifiers, for example, consist of germicidal ozone free UVC lamps placed in the centre of high quality cylindrical H13 HEPA filters. This combination of UVC and HEPA ensures that viruses and bacteria are captured and inactivated after they become trapped on the filter surface. The uninterrupted UVC illumination of the entire filtration area is part of a continuous disinfection process, making the purifiers safer products to operate and maintain. Crucially, such air purifiers are fully portable and quick and easy to install, operate, and maintain. They do not require specialist maintenance personnel and filters and lamps are designed to last for 9000+ hours before requiring replacement. Beyond this, portable purifiers are also relatively quiet which is good news for workplace noise levels. Rensair’s models produce noise levels which range from just 45 to 59 dBA depending on the setting. To put that in context, the noise emitted ranges from that of a ‘quiet whisper’ at low levels to a ‘quiet street’ when turned up to high.
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Strategic Positioning Since portable air purifiers are essentially ‘plug and play’ devices, ensuring access to excellent air quality environments for all becomes a case of positioning the units strategically to meet building regulations and give the best possible protection against airborne viruses like COVID-19. Manufacturers and leading facility management providers will work closely with businesses and institutions to determine appropriate and effective air quality solutions. Advisors analyse a location’s dimensions, occupancy rates, and existing ventilation, before drawing up air purification calculations and providing advice on where to best place units to ensure optimal results. In many cases, this is supported by full training in the operation and maintenance of the devices, as well as instruction on best practices for maintaining a healthy working environment. Benefits to Health and Productivity Ultimately, hospital-grade air purifiers unlock a variety of benefits for businesses and institutions. Aside from being more time and cost effective than embarking on major changes to existing ventilation systems, portable air purifiers deliver the kind of rapid improvements to air quality which can bring about far-reaching health benefits for everyone who uses the space. Considering that research has shown that just a 20% improvement to indoor air quality in schools can lead to a 6% improvement in a child’s working memory, and that workplaces which achieve a similar improvement to air quality enjoy a 11% increase in productivity, it is clear that cleaner air can change the way we work and learn. According to James Jessup, Sales & Marketing Director at PCS Thailand, “Portable air purifiers are a great option for businesses, schools, and hospitals facing the considerable challenge of maintaining healthy air quality across their facilities. Alongside strategic partners like Rensair, PCS Thailand is well equipped to advise in the provision and implementation of air purification systems which, when combined with comprehensive regular cleaning regimes, can significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace, while also ensuring healthy indoor air quality levels.” Contact PCS today to discuss how installing portable air purifiers can keep your working environment clean, productive, and COVID-free.
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