EHS management just got a bit more complicated. Ready or not, school bells will eventually ring on campuses from Maine to California. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a push for normalcy during a time when life is anything but.
The environmental, health and safety (EHS) systems and protocols put in place by campus administrators and facility managers to ensure student safety have never been more critical than they are as schools prepare to reopen their doors. EHS management is uniquely entrusted with the well-being of millions of students, whether they occupy a kindergarten classroom or comprise a cohort of doctoral candidates.
From the operational to the environmental, detailed plans will keep classrooms healthy as we battle new and emerging health threats. EHS management will be called upon to use every available technology to facilitate the plan.
What can Primex OneVue do to help EHS management keep students safe and flatten the curve? Plenty. Here are two of the measures that EHS management will need to support.
Staggered Start Times and A/B Days
Some campuses, such as the North Carolina public school system, plan to implement a split schedule when they open their doors back up to students and faculty. Students will go to school one day and study from home the next. This A/B split facilitates social distancing. On the opposite coast, California governor Gavin Newsom is recommending staggered start times to help keep students, families, and teachers the recommended 6 feet apart. While optimal to prevent the spread of disease, both of these solutions present quite a challenge for students and faculty.
With Primex OneVue, it doesn’t have to be a problem for EHS management.
OneVue Sync for Accurate Scheduling
With changing and unfamiliar schedules, Primex’s OneVue Sync solution keeps students and staff on track and on time. OneVue Sync ensures that all your bells and clocks operate in lockstep. Using OneVue Sync, your facility can flawlessly execute staggered start time arrivals and departures, ensuring that everyone stays as safe as possible.
OneVue Notify Handle Complexity
The OneVue Notify PrimexEVENT Bell Controller gives you the flexibility to create standard or custom ring patterns or change schedules at a moment’s notice. No matter how complex your schedule, PrimeEvent Bell Controller makes it easy. Using their simple web-based interface, EHS staff can do it all seamlessly.
And when you need to communicate? From grade schools to universities across the country, OneVue Notify InfoBoards are used to communicate in emergency situations such as a school evacuation or lockdown. There’s more: Notify InfoBoards also can be used to communicate ongoing messages regarding, for example, A/B day schedules, proper handwashing and reminders to social distance.
Flashing alerts help reach the hearing-impaired, as well as those students who may be distracted by their mobile devices, especially in a noisy setting.
OneVue Monitor Facilitates a Campus-Wide View
OneVue Monitor provides the data and reports you need to track increasingly complex schedules in one place. The system also alerts you when there are low or lost signals, so you can be assured that your InfoBoards and clocks remain operational. Monitor can even issue post-incident reports so you’ll know if an event occurred while you were off campus. These reports can then be used to report to officials that an event occurred, the time it was triggered, how long it lasted and when an all-clear was posted. From any location on your desktop or mobile device, you can monitor exactly what’s going on throughout your campus to ensure your institution stays in compliance with Department of Education requirements.
Tighter Environmental Control
Although we know a lot about controlling the spread of infectious diseases, we don’t know everything. One thing is certain, however: As researchers learn more and more about viruses, there will be widespread implications for campus EHS management as they develop and refine infection control precautions.
Some progress is being made in the race to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Yet, the debate over how best to prevent infection will continue for the foreseeable future, and tight infection control precautions will need to be in place until a reliable vaccine can be released. But even prior to the outbreak, experts agreed that low humidity can facilitate transmission. Dr. Stephanie Taylor, Harvard Medical School lecturer, says, “Transmission is greater in dry air, infectivity is higher in dry air, and the ability of a human being to fight infection is impaired.”
EHS managers are one step ahead of the game when they implement monitoring systems to ensure that campus buildings are well-ventilated and maintained at ambient temperatures and humidity levels that inhibit the spread of the virus.
OneVue Sense for Optimal Classrooms
Primex’s OneVue Sense suite of environmental monitors provide 365-day, 24/7 peace of mind. When paired with OneVue Monitor software, OneVue Indoor Air Quality sensors allow your staff to easily monitor the ambient temperature and humidity even while they’re away.
The OneVue Sense portfolio also includes sensors that alert you to other environmental risks, including:
- The security of your doors and windows;
- The presence of undetected moisture or water leaks; and
- The monitoring of freezer and refrigerator temperatures to ensure the safe preservation of cafeteria foods, as well as medications that may be stored in the nurse’s office.
Bring It All Together With OneVue Monitor
OneVue Monitor puts all your data on one dashboard, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual monitoring, and reducing the risk and cost of operations. With the data right at your fingertips, you can easily demonstrate compliance with any state or federal regulations.
As schools resume normal operations, they must continue to perform the critical function of educating children and young adults despite the health challenges. As always, EHS management has the important responsibility of maintaining safe and healthy campuses.
For whatever you need to control, Primex OneVue has you covered. Interested in learning more? Reach out to request a trial today.
References:
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article242729646.html