ASTI continues to raise ventilation issues
The ASTI continues to raise issues with the Department of Education and Public Health Officials with the objective of keeping schools as covid-19 secure as possible.
In particular, we have been raising growing concerns relating to ventilation in schools. We continually reiterate our position that each classroom should be provided with a CO2 monitor.
Concerns regarding the official guidelines for safe ventilation levels in schools are being voiced. The advice from the Department of Education that carbon-dioxide concentrations of above 1,400-1,500 parts per million (ppm) are “likely to be indicative of poor ventilation” is being publicly challenged by experts in the field as being not suitable for public health in current conditions and possibly unsafe.
It has been argued that a concentration of 1,000 ppm is a more appropriate upper limit for CO2 concentration at this point in the pandemic.
For instance, in Belgium, the employer must take the necessary technical and/or organisational measures to ensure that the concentration of CO2 in the workplace is generally less than 900 ppm.
We have written to the Department of Education and asked for an urgent response and the provision of any necessary support and resources to address issues arising.
See below articles on ventilation:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/school-ventilation-guidelines-unsafe-say-experts-1.4676180
