It is important that the AHU is operated as well as maintained with the right seriousness and as per laid down procedures. Here’s the detailed guidelines.

An Air Handling Unit (AHU) is an important component of the air conditioning system as it enables large spaces to be cooled simultaneously and also aids in maintaining the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Each building will have a number of AHUs and the quality of the air that goes into the workspace will depend a great deal on the health of the AHU and its associated components. Another key aspect is how effectively the AHU is maintained – more often than not, this is a low priority area for HVAC system operators that lead to poor IAQ issues inside the workspace.

The COVID 19 pandemic has put more focus on the AHU due to the concerns related to spread of the infection within the office space and hence it is even more important that the AHU is operated as well as maintained with the right seriousness and as per laid down procedures.

How Often Are HVAC Inspections Needed?

Ideally, your HVAC should be inspected before the start of each heating and cooling season, and in special situations, such as when you’re buying a home and having the property inspected. A thorough HVAC inspection, along with seasonal preventive maintenance that includes cleaning and tuning up the equipment, is important for your peace of mind about:

Energy efficiency. Regularly inspected, tuned-up equipment can run at maximum efficiency, so you won’t experience the energy waste and higher-than-necessary utility bills that often occur when maintenance is neglected.

Breakdowns and failures. Inspections give an HVAC technician a chance to identify developing issues while they’re still minor, so you can get problems fixed before they cause a breakdown that needs an extensive repair, or worse, a component failure that requires a premature replacement.

Equipment lifespan. Just like any other kind of mechanical equipment, your HVAC components will last longer if they’re inspected regularly and receive timely preventive maintenance and care.

Safe operation. Routine inspections not only help you avoid costly repairs and early equipment failures, they also ensure that your furnace or air conditioner stays operating safely. For instance, an inspection may reveal a cracked heat exchanger or vent system blockage that sends deadly carbon monoxide into your air supply, or a wiring short circuit that poses a risk of fire.

System condition and functionality. It’s usual to have a house-wide inspection completed when buying a home, but an HVAC-specific inspection is important too. A pre-purchase HVAC inspection provides invaluable information like the approximate age and efficiency level of a home’s comfort equipment, whether it’s been well maintained, if it needs any repairs, and its expected remaining lifespan.

To maintain a great Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), it is advisable to do frequent checking on HVAC system.

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Why is Water Testing Important?

Ventilation is the process of introducing fresh air into indoor spaces while removing stale air. Letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove air that contains virus particles and prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). When someone with COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release particles (droplets and aerosols) containing the virus that causes COVID-19. While larger droplets fall quickly to the ground, smaller droplets and aerosols containing the virus can remain suspended in the air. If someone breathes in virus particles that are suspended in the air, they can become infected with COVID-19. This is known as airborne transmission.

In poorly ventilated rooms the amount of virus in the air can build up, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19, especially if there are lots of infected people in the room. The virus can also remain in the air after an infected person has left. Bringing fresh air into a room and removing older stale air that contains virus particles reduces the chance of spreading COVID-19. The fresher air that is brought inside, the quicker any airborne virus will be removed from the room.

Ventilation is most important if someone in your household has COVID-19 or if you are indoors with people you do not live with. Good ventilation has also been linked to health benefits such as better sleep and fewer sick days off from work.

Bear in mind that ventilation does not prevent COVID-19 from spreading through close contact and is only one of the actions you should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is why it is important that everybody follows the guidance on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 all of the time, especially as it is possible to have COVID-19 with no symptoms. You can pass COVID-19 on to others if you are only symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Reduce the amount of time you spend indoors with people you do not live with

If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. 

Make sure you understand and abide by the current rules and restrictions on meeting others.

Besides, you should minimise the amount of time you spend indoors with people you do not live with or share a support bubble with. Avoid meeting people in spaces with a limited flow of fresh air such as rooms without ventilation or windows that are never opened. The risk is greater in small rooms as the concentration of virus in the air can build up more quickly than in larger areas.

Ventilation in the workplace and non-domestic settings

Ventilation should be considered as part of making your workplace or indoor public space COVID-secure. It is important to identify and deal with areas that are not well ventilated. The more people occupying an area that is poorly ventilated, and the longer they remain in it, the greater the risk of spread of COVID-19.

Control measures such as avoiding certain activities or gatherings, restricting or reducing the duration of activities, providing ventilation breaks during or between room usage should be considered alongside ventilation for reducing the risk of airborne transmission.

Any actions to improve ventilation should not compromise other aspects of safety and security (for example, avoid propping open fire doors), and should consider other consequences such as health and wellbeing impacts from thermal discomfort.

Employers should provide employees with clear guidance on ventilation, why it is important, and instruction on how to achieve and maintain good natural ventilation or to operate systems if there are user controls.

Make sure mechanical ventilation systems are maintained in line with manufacturers’ instructions. Set ventilation systems to using a fresh air supply and not recirculating indoor air, where possible. Assessing the requirement and performance of ventilation systems in many environments requires engineering expertise. In addition, ventilation design may be specific to the setting. For some existing and older buildings, ventilation systems may not have been designed to meet current standards and additional mitigations may be needed. If you are unsure, seek the advice of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer or adviser.

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ASIA’S LARGEST INTEGRATED INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATOR ENVIRO GROUP ASIA DISINFECTS MORE THAN 5,000,000SQFT OF BUILDING SPACE IN EFFORTS AGAINST CORONAVIRUS

Chemicals may enter the body through four significant routes:

• Inhalation (breathing) – The most common way workplace chemicals enter the body.
• Skin contact – Some chemicals by direct or indirect contact can damage the skin or pass through the skin and into the bloodstream.
• Ingestion – Workplace chemicals can be accidentally swallowed if food, drink or even cigarettes are contaminated.
• Injection – Injection may occur when a sharp object like a needle punctures the skin and injects a chemical directly into the bloodstream.

Once the chemical has entered the body, it can be distributed anywhere in the body by the bloodstream. Regardless of the way the chemical enters the body, it can attack and harm any organ.

Effects of chemicals on the body

Some exposure to chemicals may result in immediate injuries such as chemical burns, while some exposure takes a toll over time. If repeated over the years of employment, even relatively minor chemical exposures can lead to life-changing medical conditions.

What are common injuries due to chemical exposure in the workplace?

Harmful chemicals and substances in the workplace are responsible for a large number of chronic illnesses and deaths that can be untraceable. This is due to the symptoms appearing after many years after the exposure instead of suddenly. Other injuries include:

• Burns
• Rashes
• Throat or lung injuries
• Nerve and neurological injuries

Tips to help prevent chemical exposure

• Substitute irritating workplace substances with more skin-friendly substances.
• Implement technical measures to reduce skin contact, such as capsuling machinery to avoid splashes on the skin.
• Rotate job positions among employees to limit more intense exposure to harsh environments.
• Wear personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks to prevent skin contact.

What are your rights if you are exposed to chemicals in the workplace?

• Receive workplace safety and health training in a language that is understood
• Be equipped with machines and other forms of equipment that are safe. If you believe that your work environment is unsafe or unhealthful, you may file a complaint with OSHA and request an inspection. 
• Employers are required to equip workers with safety equipment, such as gloves and harnesses, and lifeline for falls.
• Be able to report an injury or illness and get copies of medical records. In addition, have the ability to review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. 
• See results of tests taken to find workplace hazards 

10 steps to prepare before conducting CHRA

1. Find out whether your company has an existing CHRA report. Check the expiry date and make plans for renewal minimum 3 months before expiry.
2. Compile a chemical list according to work areas including those in supporting activities such as maintenance and scheduled waste. Develop Chemical Register as per DOSH format. For those who already have the Chemical register, update the list. Check with process owners.
3. Compile Safety Data Sheet all for chemicals that are listed in the updated Chemical Register.
4. Compile any documents that may relate to chemical usage in your company such as process flow, lay out drawing, training records, exposure monitoring reports, medical surveillance reports etc.
5. Identify a DOSH registered CHRA Assessor to conduct CHRA at your place. Criteria to check besides the PRICING, are (6), (7) and (8).
6. Request a valid license of the assessor (request them to show the license)
7. Put priority on an assessor that is familiar with your type of industry so that the assessment is more accurate and practical.
8. Ask around your SHO network to recommend an assessor so that you can pick a quality assessor without having to experience the bad ones. Quality assessor means quality content of a report.
9. During site assessment, check whether the assessor him/herself came to site for site walk and NOT sending his/her representative for site visit. REMEMBER: You are buying their skill to conduct CHRA. No replacement of skill is possible when it comes to qualitative assessment.
10. After the assessment process is completed, ask the assessor to give a target date for their report presentation and submission. Don’t let them drag you too long unless you are the one that cannot furnish them with the information required to complete the report.

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KUALA LUMPUR, 10 July 2021 – ENVIRO Group Asia has recently launched a WeCARE, a Business For Good (BFG) programme aimed at reaching out to the local communities through its online platforms, and partnership with Non-profit Organisations. The programme started in early July to echo the #kitajagakita movement, and the group is currently in talk and strategising reach-out plans with several organisations.

The Group is set to contribute hygiene kits, hand sanitisers and masks to the needy, and most importantly, lending its 16^th years expertise in the field of indoor hygiene and solutions to organisations and homes, with indoor air quality, testing and disinfection services to keep the community safe.

We can honestly say that we’ve never experienced an event with such a drastic impact on how we live and work as the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, we must do the right things and be prepared to take steps beyond what we’re typically required to do.

As an experienced indoor air quality hygiene expert, Enviro Group is constantly researching and advancing through our technologies and the solutions provided. In times like this we find ourselves being equipped with the right knowledge and solutions to support others. There is no reason not to step up and serve the community,” says Mr. Nitesh Malani, Group CEO of Enviro Group Asia.

The Group welcomes any local community that requires support to contact its toll free hotline 1800-88-7900 for further discussion.

About Enviro Group Asia

Enviro Group Asia is an integrated indoor air engineering solutions expert with more than 16 years experience in indoor air quality testing and solutions, building remediation, decontamination, disinfection, facilities management, and disaster restoration management solutions across a variety of industries. The Group holds the exclusive distribution for HealthWay, a US-based air purification system, in Malaysia. The Group owns Enviroverks (M) Sdn Bhd, Enviro I.F.M. Sdn Bhd, and Red Carpet Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd.

More information about Enviro Group Asia can be found here:

Website: www.envirogroup.asia

Official Email: support@envirogroup.asia

Official Toll free: 1800-88-7900

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/envirogroupasia

Instagram: @envirogroupasia

For Media Enquiries, please contact:

Name: Ms. Rachel Khiew

Tel: +6 012 321 9790

Email: rachelkhiew@enviroverks.com.my

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Global COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts

Covid-19 Vaccinations for Malaysia

While the rapid development of vaccines against COVID‑19 is an extraordinary achievement, successfully vaccinating the global population presents many challenges, from production to distribution, deployment, and importantly, acceptance. Trust in the vaccines is vital, and is critically dependant on the ability of governments to communicate the benefits of vaccination, and to deliver the vaccines safely and effectively. This brief addresses the role of governments in promoting confidence in the effectiveness and safety through effective communication, as well as trust in their ability to procure and distribute them efficiently and equitably. While only a small minority of the population holds strong anti-vaccination views, hesitancy about COVID‑19 vaccination is evident in many countries. Recognising that vaccination campaigns of the magnitude needed are unprecedented, government actions to garner trust will be essential to their success, and to the emergence of more resilient societies after the crisis.

 

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While the development of COVID‑19 vaccines has been an extraordinary success, vaccinating most of the global population is an enormous challenge, one for which gaining – and maintaining – public trust in COVID‑19 vaccines and vaccination will be as essential as the effectiveness of the vaccines themselves. Moreover, the experience with COVID‑19 will likely shape confidence in other vaccines making it even more important to build confidence at this time.

Trust in vaccination, and in the ability of governments to communicate, and to successfully deliver a vaccination programme, is critically dependent on:

• The extent to which the government can instil and maintain public confidence in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines;
• The competence and reliability of the institutions that deliver them;
• The principles and processes that guide government decisions and actions in vaccine procurement, distribution, prioritisation, and administration;
• The capacity and effectiveness of regulatory agencies in handling issues and communicating consistently as events arise, while retaining public confidence in their review processes; and
• The effectiveness of the public engagement and communications that accompany these.

Given the speed at which COVID‑19 vaccine development has taken place it is important for governments to emphasise that no developmental or regulatory corners were cut in the process, as:

• Development was facilitated by extensive prior research, unprecedented levels of international collaboration among researchers, and massive public investment in R&D and manufacturing capacity; and
• Approval processes were accelerated, in part through procedures that allow the acceptance of more preliminary evidence in circumstances of public emergency; and with COVID‑19 products accorded the highest priority by regulators.

Successful vaccination campaigns also require governments to partner and support community organisations to conduct extensive and well-managed community engagement. A thorough understanding is needed of different populations’ specific concerns, prior experiences both with vaccination and the health system in general, religious and/or political affiliations, and socio-economic status. It is also important to ensure that government actions are open to public scrutiny, and that public institutions engage with the population, by:

• Proactively releasing timely information on vaccination strategies, modalities and accomplishments in disaggregated, user-friendly and open source formats;
• Enhancing transparent and coherent public communication to address misinformation and the “infodemic”; and
• Engaging the public when developing vaccination strategies, and in the form and content of key communications.

Finally, fairness is a hallmark of human behaviour that underpins social cohesion and trust. Governments must therefore manage public expectations and explain why it is fair that particular population groups within a country are prioritised for vaccination.

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A year into the pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease, the global effort to develop and distribute an effective vaccine produced several promising options. The accelerated development of multiple vaccines is unprecedented; the process typically takes eight to fifteen years.

Now, the immunization of a critical mass of the world’s population—which is crucial for getting the pandemic under control—is up against a new set of challenges, including dangerous new strains of the virus, global competition over a limited supply of doses, and public hesitation about the vaccines.

 

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How does a vaccine work?

Traditionally, vaccines are dead or weakened virus molecules—known as antigens—that trigger defensive white blood cells in the immune system to create antibodies that bind to the virus and neutralize it.

There are four main types of conventional vaccines:

• Live vaccines use a weakened form of the virus to prompt the creation of antibodies;
• Inactivated vaccines use a dead version of the virus;
• Toxoid vaccines use toxins made by the virus to produce immunity to the part of the virus that causes disease; and
• Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines use proteins or other pieces of the virus.

There are also several types of vaccines that use the virus’s genetic material—DNA or RNA—to prompt the body to create antibodies. More than a dozen of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have gone to clinical trials are genetic-based, including those by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and partnering German firm BioNTech and by U.S.-based Moderna. No vaccine of this kind had ever been approved for commercial use in humans before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, some COVID-19 vaccines rely on viral vectors, or modified versions of a different virus, to prompt an immune response. Several approved COVID-19 vaccines use viral vectors.

When most of a population has been vaccinated and is immune to a particular disease, even those who are not immune are considered protected because the likelihood of an outbreak is small. This is known as herd immunity. Chicken pox, measles, mumps, and polio are all examples of diseases for which the United States has achieved herd immunity due to vaccines. Scientists are divided about how much of a population must have COVID-19 antibodies to prevent new outbreaks, with estimates ranging from less than half to over 80 percent.

Who is involved in vaccine development?

Vaccines are frequently collaborative efforts across sectors of society, with private pharmaceutical firms teaming up with public health agencies or university labs. Here are snapshots of some of the major players in the COVID-19 vaccine field.

Governments. Public health agencies have played critical roles in supplying funds to develop COVID-19 vaccines.

International institutions. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other multilateral institutions such as the World Bank are focused on financing and manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines for global use, in particular to ensure fair allocation among all countries. 

Private sector. The pharmaceutical industry has been driving much of the push. Companies ranging from biotech start-ups to giants such as U.S.-based Johnson & Johnson shifted their research and development efforts to focus on COVID-19.

Research institutions and non-profits. Many of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates have involved a university or college assisting in preclinical research or clinical trials.

How are COVID-19 treatments helping?

Dozens of treatments—which would not prevent someone from being infected with COVID-19 but could help reduce the severity and duration of illness—have been developed or repurposed. Among them is the antiviral drug Remdesivir, which was developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences and approved by the FDA. An NIH-sponsored trial of Remdesivir that involved dozens of sites in the United States, Europe, and Asia showed faster rates of recovery from the virus. Some health experts are also optimistic about the use of dexamethasone, a common steroid, which was found to reduce the risk of death in severely ill COVID-19 patients in the UK. The FDA has authorized emergency use of convalescent plasma, or blood plasma of previously infected people who have created COVID-19 antibodies. Though plasma donations have already been used in tens of thousands of patients, research is ongoing to determine the treatment’s effectiveness.

 

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Can vaccines end the pandemic?

Even with about a dozen vaccines approved for emergency use, there remains the tremendous challenge of making enough of them for the world’s population.

Meanwhile, several new strains of the coronavirus are raising concerns among scientists and health officials about increased transmission, waning immunity in people already infected with COVID-19, and reduced effectiveness of vaccines that have already been developed. Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna are already developing booster shots to increase protection against the new strains. Ahead of U.S. approval for its vaccine, Johnson & Johnson reported that its shot provided higher protection against these strains in clinical studies than initially thought.

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COVID-19 Propels Indoor Air Quality Solutions as Top Concerns for Businesses to ReLaunch to the “New Normal”

● Singing of MOU on 8th April 2021 between the Head of both companies and website
is launched on the same day
● Special offerings on both companies’ products and services for public and business
sectors, for quicker one-stop solutions.

 

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Kuala Lumpur, 8 April 2021 – Malaysia premier healthcare provider BP Healthcare and indoor
environmental technologies and engineering solutions provider Enviro Group has
established a partnership in creating stronger health and hygiene solutions for Malaysians.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding took place at BP Healthcare office in
Medan Tuanku, and was executed by Ms. Kelly Chung, COO of Doctor2U, BP Healthcare and
Mr. Ahmad Fuad Che Mi, Group General Manager of Enviro Group.

“As a healthcare solutions provider, BP Healthcare is constantly evolving to be at the forefront
of healthcare. We are always looking for the right partner in delivering more values and
coverage to our customers. Today, we are glad to welcome Enviro Group as our partner. With
more than a decade of experience in end-to-end disinfection services and in-door
environmental solutions, we are sure that Enviro Group is able to meet the needs of the
consumer and B2C market,” as mentioned by Ms. Kelly Chung.

BP Healthcare has been at the forefront of Covid-19 screening through heavy investments
and establishing a series of partnerships with different industries to provide more
comprehensive solutions to both public and businesses.

“Meaningful collaborations are important for the benefits of our community, with a partnership
with BP Healthcare, we are able to provide more businesses and the public with much needed
top-to-toe health and indoor hygiene solutions. We believe in protecting people and
assets by providing a cleaner and better indoor environment. Our wish is that Malaysians
continue to uphold the hygiene protocols and not take things for granted,” said Mr. Nitesh
Malani.

Enviro Group specialises in integrated indoor environmental technologies research and
development, providing a full range of services from consultation, in-door air quality monitoring
and cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation, and technical training.
Public and businesses are offered a special discount on the services provided by both
companies via the BP Healthcare website.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Gavry Beh, Vice President of BP Healthcare
Group, and Mr. Nitesh Malani, Group CEO of Enviro Group.

 

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The coronavirus disease has affected 140,531,290 and killed 3,012,206 across 219 countries and territories in the world, according to worldometers.info.

A recent study published said that COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was thought to spread through droplets, is primarily an airborne pathogen. This study brings us a step closer to understanding the virus, the way it spreads, and what can help prevent transmission.

Though the coronavirus is still thought to spread primarily through respiratory droplets passed from person to person, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognizing that airborne transmission is also a threat since small particles can linger in the air for minutes to hours, be inhaled, and lead to an infection.

The CDC also acknowledges that these minuscule airborne particles can travel farther than 6 feet, particularly when people are talking, singing, or even breathing heavily in indoor environments with poor ventilation.

“Improving indoor ventilation and air quality, particularly in healthcare, work, and educational environments, will help all of us to stay safe, now and in the future.”

How to protect yourself from the airborne spread 

Handwashing, physical distancing, and donning a face mask are key safety measures to protect yourself from COVID-19.

Double face masks are critical in reducing the risk of spreading or being exposed to the virus via aerosols.

Since aerosolized droplets (containing viral particles) may remain in poorly ventilated rooms for minutes to several hours, the importance of wearing a mask while indoors should strongly be considered. Besides, it is highly recommended to do Indoor Air Quality Assessment (IAQ) to ensure the ventilation system within the area is functioning.