Ventilation Protocols for School Reopening
The Division of School Facilities (DSF) will continue to implement a comprehensive and strategic approach to ensure every building has proper ventilation that is operating as designed. Custodial staff are performing regular maintenance on all heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. HVAC systems provide heating and cooling to our administrative and school buildings. These systems will be maintained in proper working order with a focus on fresh air intake, ventilation, exhaust and filtration. All air filters are being cleaned, replaced, or modified as required and will be maintained throughout the school year. DSF will utilize filters of a higher efficiency rating, where applicable.
To promote enhanced airflow in public school buildings the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) partnered with city agencies across NYC (DSF/DOB/DOHMH/FDNY) and the School Construction Authority (SCA) to deploy independent engineers to perform ventilation inspections. Utilizing guidance set forth by the World Health Organizations (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)(Open external link), a citywide team of independent engineers have assessed each space, including restrooms, to determine if there is operational ventilation. The engineer teams identified specific rooms with issues and provided a path to a resolution.
Each principal has received a copy of the SCA ventilation walkthrough report which contained the complete inspection data for every room that was visited. Currently, we have 56.8 percent of bathrooms listed as in need of repairs and/or improvements to ventilation systems.
HVAC Policy
HVAC systems will be maintained in proper working order to maximize the supply of outdoor air for ventilation All school buildings are provided with ventilation by a combination of the following systems:
Supply and exhaust fans
Windows and exhaust fans
Combination of supply and exhaust fans and windows
HVAC systems - roof top units, air handling units and dedicated outside systems
These systems are installed to meet the Building Code Requirements at the time of design and construction.
Buildings that have supply and exhaust fans do not require operable windows. Windows can be used for additional air dilution and supplemental ventilation, or if the mechanical system fails.
For effective ventilation, windows will need to be open when the room is occupied. Buildings that have operable windows and exhaust fans meet the ventilation requirements. The windows must have 4% of the total square footage of the room opened when occupied. Please work with the custodial staff to ensure effective ventilation in rooms with windows.
Mechanical ventilation can be utilized with both supply and exhaust fans, or only exhaust fans and the use of windows for make-up air. When windows and exhaust fans are used, the window opening must equal 4% of the occupied floor area.
Mechanical ventilation is provided by HVAC Units that supply fresh air into inner core rooms of buildings that do not have windows. Please speak with your custodian engineer to ensure fresh air is being supplied into any inner core rooms without windows in the building if comfort levels fluctuate.
In preparation for the first day of school (FDOS), DSF has taken the following steps to ensure the systems that were installed meet the building code requirements at the time of design and construction.
If your building has rooms designed without windows:
Custodian engineers will maximize the mechanical ventilation provided by HVAC Units that supply fresh air into inner core rooms of buildings.
Custodial staff are performing regular maintenance on all HVAC systems. All air filters are being cleaned, replaced, or modified as required for FDOS and will be maintained throughout the school year. DSF will be upgrading filters to a higher efficiency rating, where applicable.
All HVAC equipment and the areas/rooms supported by these systems have been inspected by custodian engineers and will continue to be inspected daily to ensure proper operation.
Custodial staff will operate all applicable HVAC equipment and ventilate buildings two (2) hours prior to building occupancy and one (1) hour after building occupancy.
If your building is designed with windows:
Buildings that have operable windows and exhaust fans are in compliance with ventilation requirements. Windows will remain open when spaces are occupied with building exhaust systems operating. For more information regarding windows, please reach out to your custodian engineer or custodial staff in the building.
Custodial staff will operate all exhaust systems two (2) hours prior to building occupancy and one (1) hour after building occupancy.
Restroom Guidance
A restroom is deemed to have operational ventilation if air is able to flow in and out; whether by natural or mechanical means. Thus, a restroom is deemed to have operational ventilation if it has at least one of the following ventilation options:
An operational supply fan
An operational exhaust fan
An operational unit ventilator
An operational HEPA-rated air purifier
In the event the restroom ventilation is not operating, open windows, open doors, and limit the quantity in the restroom to (1) one occupant
An important approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants or contaminants is to increase ventilation. It is ideal to leave a bathroom door open to provide optimal cross air ventilation. For privacy, most doors are equipped with vents that also bring in air and assist in reducing indoor air pollutants.
At times, increasing ventilation with all or mostly outside air may not always be possible or practical. In such cases, we adhere to the guidance set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Open external link) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) which states that the effective rate of ventilation per person can also be increased by limiting the number of people present in any given space; in our case, the restrooms.
Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the meet the needs of each school. Therefore, if a restroom does not have at least one of the above referenced ventilation options, it will either be taken offline, used with a limited capacity or utilized for single use occupancy until such repairs can be made. It is also critically important to note, since the time of these inspections up until today, the DOE is working on an aggressive timeline and many of the repairs identified in the SCA inspection report have already been made by custodian engineers, skilled trade workers, contractors or the SCA.
Safe Restroom Practices
Measures to reduce the quantity of occupants, ensure proper ventilation, and increase the frequency of handwashing reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in restrooms. Examples of safe restroom practices include:
Limit the number of individuals permitted to use a given restroom at one time to allow for (6) six-foot safe distancing
Restrict sink use to every other station to ensure (6) six-foot safe distancing
Require regular handwashing with warm water for at least (20) twenty seconds, or with an alcohol-based sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol
Require staff and students to wash hands when they are visibly soiled and after removing any personal protective equipment (PPE)
Post handwashing signs in restrooms
Ensure that if restroom ventilation (e.g. operational supply fan, operational exhaust, or unit ventilator ) are operating, the restroom door should be left open to avoid the need for occupants to touch doorknobs and handles; and
If restroom ventilation is not operating, open windows, open doors, and limit the quantity to (1) one occupant.
Ventilation When Cleaning and Disinfecting
When cleaning and disinfecting for COVID-19, ventilation is important. The Division of School Facilities (DSF) uses EPA approved anti-viral cleaning and disinfecting products (adhering to their label instructions) as this is the best way to ensure that any indoor air pollution risks are minimized while still maintaining the effectiveness of the disinfecting product.
Lastly, our custodial staff are regularly inspecting bathrooms for cleanliness, disinfecting touchpoints, and stocking restrooms with hand soap, toilet paper and paper towels at all times. At the end of each day, all restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected utilizing the above-mentioned EPA approved disinfectant(s) suited for the elimination of COVID-19.
For questions regarding HVAC, principals can reach out to their deputy director of facilities (DDF)(Open external link).
54 comments:
My building has windows that open a few inches but the exhausters are not working. Does that mean that we are out of safety compliance? A special note was also made on our safety report that our air handler does not work either, and that it will cost alot of money to fix.
The DOE is incapable of doing even the simplest task correctly. There is no way any of the above mandates will happen, unless it’s already in place at the individual school. (It might have had a long shot chance if it was started last spring; now as schools are open?!) At those rare ventilated schools the DOE and UFT will be taking pictures and making commercials to prove to everyone that all is well. Mulgrew may wear a wig so the film crews can film the amble air supply jostling his artificial coif. Carranza will be running around showing off the equipment ((that was already there) and deB will be offering the usual platitudes of nonsense.
All the bathrooms at most schools are from the 1950s and 60s meaning you have to hold the faucet knob to keep the water running. Further there is no hot water only cold water in most building bathrooms meaning you have to hold down the faucet knob with one hand and then try to wash your hands while maneuvering to rinse which is virtually impossible.
Throw in the fact that there is no hot water only cold and your washing experience is questionable to say the least. Especially where we now have touchless bathrooms in most commercial establishments.... For a system that spends in the neighborhood of 30 billion dollars a year how is it that we still have these antiquated bathrooms in most buildings? How is it that most schools are not fully air conditioned? 30 BILLION dollars people 30 billion that billion with a B.
At this point it is nobody's fault but the the cowards-sheep who keep going inside buildings that they know are dangerous. You put a paycheck ahead of your health. Don't blame Mulgrew or deBlasio. Look in the mirror.
*9:10, The head custodian of my school makes more than the cardiologist that lives next to him in Wilton, Connecticut. He’s far from an unusual case. Multiply that, plus all the waste on contracts for inferior supplies ranging from books, to office supplies, to paid contractors that come in to lecture on how stupid teachers are and you get a small picture of the massive waste. That’s not to mention the army of lawyers whose only job is terminating teachers and the dual army of bureaucrats at Tweed, that do absolutely nothing, but are hired out of cronyism via Carranza and/or deBlasio’s orders - now that’s something The Post should investigate.
But you keep hiding in the corner hoping nobody will notice you. Who is to blame? The teachers who look the other way are as at fault as anyone else.
@10:16 am
Not all but yes, too many have been zombified. Covid. Fake grades. Poor ventilation. Folks just keep marching on. Red pill or blue pill. The choice is yours. (Matrix reference)
10:16, I’m Joe Schmo from Tuckahoe and my school is Grace Dodge. I don’t see you using your name. Why is that?
Lol. Should I just copy and paste the comments from the previous thread? They will keep taking it and say they are proud to pay dues. They actually don't care that an expert said ventilation reports are shit. You cannot just open windows. They are at high risk. Mulgrew is the enemy. Dont worry though. He said he is going to court in October to get spring break money. Good luck with that.
What percent did mulgrew get in last election? 90%? Complain about me opting out? Funny.
Who is the sucker? The guy paying triple dues on 10/15 and $1800 for the year who gets walked into a petri dish by the uft pres...Oh, the uft pres actually doesn't go into that petri dish...Or the guy who pays nothing and get sthe same lack of service and who has the balls to not go into infected builgings?
Just told the mayor is supposed to announce all remote. Don't know if it is just a rumor.
Anyone hear anything?
@11:23,
No matter how long I stay away from ICEUFT, it’s always the same comments. It’s a big turn off to reading this blog, but maybe that’s the point? Pay or don’t pay, you have to wait until next June if you want to opt out. Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass, one way or the other and I don’t think I’m alone here. It’s the constant haranguing and trying to justify your actions or belittling those that do pay that gets tiresome. I don’t blame you if you stop paying, I don’t blame you if you continue to pay - there’s legitimate reasons for both. My retired buddies pay UFT dues solely for SHIP. That wasn’t enough for me to remain. I think we’ve heard the all the arguments on both sides, over and over again, so perhaps if you have nothing to add, you should stop copying and pasting the same comments over and over, ad neauseum. Say something that revolves around the post or don’t comment at all. It’s also very hypocritical to complain about those that comment anonymously, while doing the same thing yourself. Cheers.
@12:21
Is your source reliable?
@¹²²¹, no news here. But fully remote teachers in my school are all assigned administrative duties and we're covering classes for lunch etc...
Most blended teachers are teaching four in a row.
Bronx atr,
Don't you wonder what will be enough for the duies payers? Every article James posts is about how the uft isn't doing the job, actually leading us to death.
Bronx ATR,
Your comments are spot on regarding the mine run of comments made on this blog. I will just add that diblasio and carranza are "furloughing" some people. I am not sure who these people are but they are not UFT members cause that could never happen with the UFT. So for whatever its worth listen with the two ears you were given people not the ONE mouth that we have been given....don't we tell the kids this everyday? Peace
Furloughs are coming for both CSA and UFT, no way around it. It will be sold to us as being better than the alternative, layoffs. And, it is better.
Is this what they promised?
Students are no-showing google clasroom live instruction.
Studnets who are going into buildings are working from a computer.
Teachers who are going into buildings are alone and looking at a computer
Still poor ventilation
Students refuse to turn on camera, no idea if they are actually there after signing in
Students refuse to speak, basically teacher talking to herself all day
No attendance policy
No grading policy
Any work given is not done, done poorly, or late
Trump just announced billions headed toward diblasio's office to bail out the mayor and his nimwits as nyc is thousands of teachers short. Whomever said furloughs for uft teachers obviously is some charter school troll and I would rather work for the sanitation dept. sweeping streets than work as a scab in a charter school
If Chaz were alive he would say hey 1:50 where do you get your information from the daily news??...LMAO
The current furloughs are DOE non union managers. They have to lose 5 days pay between Oct 1 and March 31 and they can't just take a week off. The days have to be spread out. Anyone represented by a union is not furloughed at the current time.
School to open I can’t take this virtual shit these kids been out of school to long to the point the little kids can’t sit down for to long
Bronx ATR and others, What would you have me do with the same comments over and over that are literally sometimes copied and pasted from earlier posts? Please advise.
@ James 2:36 pm. If the same post is repeatedly copied and posted--once is enough. I don't think that's censoring. I think it's fair. Imo
Hi James,
I’d ask anyone who insists on posting concerning dropping out or staying in the UFT to identify themselves, via URL, google blogger ID or some type of verifiable means. I would do this only because the constant commenting on the same subject over and over and over again is overwhelmingly undermining the viability and importance of your blog. If the commenters feel that this message is something that must be said over and over again on your every post, then they shouldn’t have any problems giving up their anonymity - especially while belittling their intended audience for their’s.
It's easy to make a new account. This one guy has a name and constantly emails me the same stuff like the comments. That said, if people like Bronx ATR and Waiting for Support are in agreement, we can certainly have a no repeat comments policy. I would like to hear from a different political perspective here. TJL are you out there today?
I cannot wear masks as it fogs up my glasses.Oh yeah, and nobody knows the Truth except the few.
@3:22pm...
Smh
I think the failing of mulgrew should be repeated. If you have an alternative to opt out THAT WOULD WORK let me know. James keeps posting how bad the uft is doing and how unsafe it is...Yet, teachers keep going in and paying dues. What do they expect? And what happened to spring break money promised.
James it's your blog. Since you referenced a political perspective - not that I can claim to be even 90% libertarian or 90% conservative, I'm not into putting myself into one of those ideological boxes - a true right perspective would respect your private property rights. Your house, your rules.
Instead of name calling, why dont we understand what people think the uft is supposed to be doing. If they are failing, nonstopped, what is the service? And the response should not be that it's better than nothing.
Bad contracts
No discipline code
Sent us to die in March
Sent use to die in September
Documented safety hazards being ignored
Totally not what I was expecting TJL. Thanks for responding. I respect your opinions even though they come from a different place compared to me. I don't think the comment section is my house. It's the readers. I want as much free speech as possible in comments but I don't wish to get people so angry that they leave. This has been a difficult problem for years. We have tweaked the comment policy by moderating and asking people to stay on topic. Maybe, we'll revisit it.
NYC SCHOOL VENTILATION PROTOCOLS FOR SCHOOL REOPENING
NYC Schools at High Risk
Expert says DOE-UFT report are for shit
Union sues, not our union, due to poor ventilation
James, those are the last 4 threads you have posted. Ok, so the uft is failing and doing nothing. Now what? You have repeatedly written that you want a response and the uft is not taking care of us. Ok, so what has our union done? What is the response? The response is, as you noted, people have given up and are going into the famous petri dish. I am not. I have refused. I am awaiting for whatever they do to me. It seems the only ones taking action are the opt out people. The uft, while doing nothing, is getting rich.
Ok. So eponymous has a wife who watches remote learning, but he works for NOT uft. Small letters. Nice.
I don't like censorship. But agree with private property argument. Your blog, your rules. Might I also add that I dont mind the repeats, I skim repetitive comments and move on. I think keeping the door open to debate opt out is good but agree it's tiresome, we've all made up our minds already. How about a 2 month moratorium and go from there? Just an idea.
But nobody is addressing the problem that the uft has abandoned us
Yes, you opted out of the union for $1800, but now you are going to lose a week's pay due to this recent furlough the city is doing to managers and non-union employees, including DOE non- union employees. I guess that is you, non-union. I guess you make more than what you save from union dues, but you will lose a week's salary. Notwithstanding any other future deduction the city comes up with. Who is the sucker now. Union members are not being furloughed, no money loss for us above the $1800 you say we are throwing away. Hope your lower take home is worth it to you.
The superintendents are now boo-hooing about having to be part of that 5 day furlough. It's about time they got paid for exactly what they do - nothing!
4:19 James is doing the best he can. He does not agree with opt out. I hear your frustration. I don't know why you believe your school is not safe. If it's specific and related to safety protocols, then the "now what?" you ask is document it and go to the press. James can't fix this. Im sorry you're in this situation. Nothing will change until enough teachers demand it loudly, clearly and not anonymously. I wish you well.
Not just managers, employees also, city and DOE are to br furloughed, non-union employees. Last number I saw 6 or 9 thousand.1
@4:05 pm
The response is the response. If someone says "it's better than nothing", that's their response. However, what's the point of copying and pasting the same statement while trying to belittle or antagonize different perspectives?
What about the solidarity lawsuit? Mulgrew refuses to get involved. Why are dues payers paying dues and not getting the uft lawyer that is included in their dues/ Why paying out of pocket?
4:48 Somebody should, right? That someone is you. Organize your school and get everyone on the Never Unity train. Educate your colleagues and lead them. That's what James did in his school. He's retired now. It's your turn.
@4:48 pm
The problem of the UFT abandoning us is being addressed. However this problem hasn't been resolved. It's not a new problem. Some folks have opted out. Some have not. Figuring out how to unseat the current leadership needs to be determined. Seems like it's easier to elect a new president of the US than it is the UFT president/cabinet. The method is broken. Why educators have quietly marched to the drum of the DOE and UFT (leadership) for years is beyond me. Educators as a whole have so much power to make change. As it stands, too many continue to just go with the flow. It's like America--too many good people just go with the flow. I get it. But we should try stepping out of our comfort zone. The leadership has to go. A shake is MANDATORY. Just my humble opinion. Sometimes it's just too much.
I say we spend the time being pro-active. Let us work on decertifying the UFT, as proposed. I am willing to work towards that so we can receive true representation.
How is it being addressed?
Valencia, Please email us at iceuft@gmail.com
@5:01pm
I guess some people need others to step in front of them and fix their issue. Maybe it's human nature. Idk. I do know that this behavior is more prevalent than I imagined. In the end by working together, folks can come up with an action plan for either side of the "opt out or dethrone the president" camps and put the plan into action.
@5:22 and 5:36 pm...
Periodt!
We should do all that while mulgrew makes 300k?
The $1600+ got you abandoned. 50 teachers at IS 51 Edwin Markham, on Staten Island, must quarantine after coming in contact with a staff member who tested positive for COVID-19.
@NYCSchools
says social distancing protocols were "unfortunately not followed" by the school staff.
@8;27pm
Yep
To be fair and balanced, it isnt fair to blame DOE and uft when adults dont do their part to wear a mask and social distance.AND, what lesson is irresponsible, irreverent behavior on the part of their role models imparting to students??I get crazy when people refuse to wear a simple mask.
I would take days off for days I worked for Spring break and have it not count towards CAR. That would be fair. Else, pay is in order.
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