With the increased demand for indoor air quality, many commercial facilities and building owners have chosen to install products that help reduce airborne contaminants. UV-C lights are proven effective in killing virtually all known microorganisms, making it an ideal solution for cleaning HVAC cooling coils and decontaminating the upper air in public spaces such as schools and hospitals.
While damage from UV-C is temporary, its important that the HVAC industry take measures to safeguard service personnel from avoidable ultraviolet exposure and the consequences of its short term and/or chronic effects. D.P. Wolff is committed to the safety of its team in the office and in the field. In an effort to spread awareness and ensure the safety of our team we recommend reading and sharing the following information with anyone in facilities management or who works in the HVAC industry.
There are safety precautions to be considered when working on equipment that has UV lighting installed.
What are the most basic precautions?
- Needless exposure should be avoided.
- You should not work in the vicinity of a UV light unless you are property trained.
- Do not look directly at any UV source, regardless of your distance from it.
- Never enter the plenum where UV-C lamps are active. If it is absolutely necessary, wear personal protective equipment including UV safety goggles, UV face shields, long-sleeved, tightly-woven clothing that covers much of the body and gloves.
We have included a link below which provides beneficial information for how to work safely around UV lighting in an HVAC work setting:
When used correctly, UV lighting installed within HVAC systems can offer many benefits including: saving energy, increasing HVAC system efficiency, reducing maintenance tasks, and improving overall indoor air quality.
As commercial facilities rapidly deploy HVAC UV lights as a means of protecting building occupants from airborne infection, maintenance staff and HVAC service providers must exercise extreme caution when working near them.
There are alternative indoor air quality products available to help improve the air within your facility. CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALTERNATIVE IAQ SOLUTIONS WE OFFER!
Please give us a call to discuss IAQ products for your building: 914-767-0515.
You can also send online inquiries to info@dpwolff.com for more details on our recommendations for improving indoor air quality at your commercial facility.