On May 15, 2023, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) announced the completion of a draft of its “first-ever” Standard on Control of Infectious Aerosols. The standard is expected to receive final approval by the end of June and to be published in July.
ASHRAE Standard 241P, Control of Infectious Aerosols, provides minimum requirements for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, influenza, and other airborne viruses in the workplace and at home.
The draft standard is based on ASHRAE’s involvement with consensus indoor air quality standards and the guidance its Epidemic Task Force provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes minimum requirements for:
- Equivalent outdoor air intake (combined effect of ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning) for use during infection risk mitigation mode
- Room air distribution to reduce risk
- Characterization of filter and air cleaner effectiveness and safety
- Commissioning, including development and implementation of a building readiness plan
- System operation during periods of high risk
- Maintenance tasks and their minimum frequency
According to William Bahnfleth, an ASHRAE presidential fellow and chair of the 241P standard project committee, the standard is a groundbreaking document that is expected to have significant impact.
For additional information on the ASHRAE Standard on Control of Infectious Aerosols, please email us at [email protected].
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Safety Partners’ Director of Quality, Research, & Training
