Coronavirus Technology Solutions
April 6, 2021

 

Filterbuy Opening Air Filter Plant in Pennsylvania

Researchers Find Wearing Face Masks May Reduce Cancer Risks Associated with Airborne Carcinogens
Europe is Battling a New COVID Surge

200 Air Purification Units Installed in 29 JTA Properties

Artoflix N95 Mask Approved by Health Canada

Nanofiber Group Offers Licenses and Equipment for Mask, Filtration and Wipes Manufacturing

Employers Can Require High Efficiency Masks Even if OSHA Does Not

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Filterbuy Opening Air Filter Plant in Pennsylvania

Filterbuy, a family-owned commercial and residential air filter manufacturer, has finalized plans with Gov. Tom Wolf's office to open a brand-new facility in New Kensington. Part of the state's Pennsylvania First Program (PA First), the plant will bring more than 120 full-time jobs to the Alle-Kiski Valley region.

"We're one of the few companies that has been adding jobs throughout the pandemic," said David Heacock, founder and CEO of Filterbuy. "This collaboration with Pennsylvania allows us to further our commitment to community investment and personal service, while also helping us reach a critical customer-base more directly."

Filterbuy will lease and completely renovate a 137,000-square-foot building that was previously owned by Alcoa Corporation. The new plant will serve as Filterbuy's northeastern hub and will have the capacity to produce 30,000 air filtration products each day.

The project was coordinated by the Governor's Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

Over the next three years, Filterbuy will invest more than $2 million into the project.

 "We welcome Filterbuy to southwestern Pennsylvania as it increases its regional presence, creates jobs, and provides high-quality, American made products to customers across the country," said Gov. Wolf. "Pennsylvania has a long legacy of innovation and a 'can-do' spirit, qualities that are shared by Filterbuy—a company that started with the purchase of machine parts and grew to include locations in multiple states with almost 1,000 employees—and we look forward to witnessing its continued prosperity."

The Talladega, AL-based company has experienced significant growth since its 2013 founding and remains focused on keeping operations entirely in the U.S. Offering premium products at a competitive price, Filterbuy is one of the only manufacturers that can build an air filter to any size and specification.

The opening of the New Kensington plant has been partially fueled by an increasing demand for air filtration products during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to provide the highest quality product to consumers, Filterbuy is now producing each of its filters to match hospital-grade efficacy standards.

"Our mission has always been to help families, businesses and communities breathe clean air," continued Heacock. "Now, it's more than a sentiment, it's a responsibility."

Construction on the New Kensington plant has begun and will be completed by early summer. The company plans to begin hiring by mid-April.

Filterbuy has facilities in Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania and Utah. Founded in 2013, Filterbuy's mission is to offer premium products at a competitive price. The company currently offers over 600 different air filter sizes and employs a dedicated group to creating fully customized solutions. All Filterbuy products are made in the USA, produced by a team of nearly 1,000 employees. Filterbuy offers free shipping to the continental United States for every order.

Researchers Find Wearing Face Masks May Reduce Cancer Risks Associated with Airborne Carcinogens

Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have recently proved that apart from protecting us from inhaling respiratory droplets that contain pathogens, surgical masks are also effective in blocking airborne carcinogens, reducing cancer risks such as lung cancer and leukemia.

The team, led by Associate Prof. Wan CHAN and Prof. Jianzhen YU from the Department of Chemistry and Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST, found that in addition to virus-carrying droplets, face masks could also efficiently trap a wide range of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds, including its most toxic forms, in ambient air.

While the cancer-causing PAHs – sized three-ring or above, could be 8,000 times smaller than the respiratory droplets produced by sneezing, the team found that ASTM Level 1 face masks with a BFE (bacteria filtration efficiency) of ≥ 95% can block up to 70% of the compounds. The filtration rate further jumps to almost 75% with ASTM Level 2 or Level 3 masks with BFE of ≥ 98%, indicating that wearing a face mask could potentially reduce cancer risks associated with such airborne carcinogens by up to 70%.

PAHs are generated by combustion processes, such as vehicle emission, cigarette burning, and incense burning, and are ubiquitous in the atmosphere. Inhalation exposure to PAHs has been proven by years of scientific research to have close ties with the development of lung cancer and leukemia. It is crucial to monitor personal exposure to ambient PAHs for cancer risk assessment and management.

Europe is Battling a New COVID Surge

 Europe may not be subject to the drastic lockdown measures introduced to combat the first wave of coronavirus a year ago, but many countries still face another Easter of greatly reduced meeting and movement.

In France, new restrictions came into effect across the country from 7 PM on Saturday that limit travel to within 10 km (six miles) of home, absent one of the allowed “imperative” reasons. Sworn declarations known as “attestations” will be necessary for anyone travelling outside these rules.

These restrictions are already in effect in Paris and some other departments and were extended in an announcement by Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday evening. A 7 PM to 6 AM curfew has been extended to the whole country. However, in a surprising move, Macron said there would be a “tolerance” for people wishing to go somewhere beyond the 10 km limit this Easter weekend, until 7 PM on Monday, which is a bank holiday.

The interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said that after 7 PM on Monday, when the tolerance ends, police and gendarmes would be dispatched to ensure the rules were enforced. From that point on, interregional travel will be banned.

The French are being encouraged not to meet for family Easter gatherings because of the increased risk of coronavirus contamination and spread.

Travel in and out of the country is not encouraged and is subject to rules and Covid-19 tests. It is easier to enter France from another EU nation, but travelers must still show a negative PCR Covid test. From the UK you can only enter France under certain stricter conditions, which also apply to arrivals from other countries. The rules do not apply to the thousands of cross-border workers.

In Belgium, the Easter holidays officially take place from Saturday to 18 April but started a week earlier for pupils and parents. The government closed schools from 26 March as part of a tightening of its long-running lockdown.

As part of its response to a rise in cases, the government also maintained a ban on non-essential travel in and out of the country, a move criticised by the European commission. The tourism ban will be in place until the end of the holiday period. So-called “nonessential” journeys are still allowed within the country, which means day trips or a few days away from home are possible. Holiday parks, hotels and campsites are open, but restaurants and bars remain closed.

After recent chaotic scenes at Brussels-Midi train station, where huge crowds of people were left waiting for trains to the coast, people are being advised to avoid visiting resorts such as Ostend and Knokke. The Belgian rail company SNCB said that for Easter it was reducing capacity on trains to the coast to 50%, with only window seats used on services.

Spain remains under a state of emergency and subject to an overnight curfew that varies from region to region as a fourth wave of the virus begins to take its toll.

Travel between different regions is not allowed except for emergency reasons, denying many Spaniards their Easter jaunts or visits to celebrate with their extended relatives. The restrictions have annoyed some people, especially as visitors from other European countries are allowed to travel to Spain by air or sea as long as they show a negative result for a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival.

Travel between the Balearic islands is allowed, but bars and restaurants must close at 5 PM and the night-time curfew applies from 10 PM. Groups at bars and restaurants are limited to four people.

A recent influx of French tourists who had travelled to Madrid to escape lockdown restrictions at home has raised eyebrows in Spain, but their presence has been welcomed by the hospitality industry. Spaniards are also allowed to travel abroad, subject to the rules governing visits to other countries.

This week Portugal’s interior ministry announced that people arriving from countries with an incidence rate of more than 500 cases per 100,000 population over the previous 14 days would have to quarantine for two weeks and could come on essential business only. The quarantine period also applies to people whose journey originated in the UK, Brazil or South Africa.

All arriving passengers must show a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours. Flights to and from the UK and Brazil remain prohibited except for repatriation flights.

Portugal was put under a second lockdown in mid-January, and on 28 January it registered a record one-day tally of 16,500 new infections. There has since been a drop in cases, allowing the government to ease restrictions gradually.

In Greece, small retail shops will reopen for business from Monday under so-called click-away and click-in-shop modes, meaning consumers will need to make appointments and comply with a three-hour limit for shopping.

Bars and restaurants remain closed with the centre-right government threatening to step up penalties for owners who allow customers to gather with drinks outside premises. But bans on movement have been eased in what has been described by officials as “decompression valves” aimed at managing mounting fatigue with restrictions. From Saturday people will be able to drive beyond the limits of their municipality to exercise or get fresh air.

The first trickle of tourists has begun flying into the country, with Germans who could prove they had been vaccinated or had negative PCR tests arriving in Crete last weekend. With hotels closed, most are staying in pensions and rented accommodation. Britons with second homes in Greece have also arrived ahead of Easter. New arrivals are required to self-isolate for a week and will have to adhere to strict lockdown measures, including notifying authorities by text message of their movements once quarantine periods end.

Travel in and out of Germany is permitted, but travelers have to provide a negative Covid test before boarding an inbound flight, whether or not the area they are travelling from is classified as a “risk area”.

Holiday trips within Germany are discouraged, with hotels across the country only allowed to accommodate travelers for “necessary and expressly non-touristic” purposes, such as people on business trips. The same rule applies to campsites.

Outdoor Easter egg hunts with grandparents are allowed, though staying with them for the weekend is only permitted for small groups. No more than five people over the age of 14 and from two separate households are allowed to meet indoors.

The whole of Italy will be in a “red zone” lockdown over the Easter weekend, with bans on travelling beyond home towns or regions. However, people can still travel abroad – a measure that provoked much ire among Italians amid airport scenes of their fellow citizens preparing to flee to places such as the Canary Islands for the Easter break. Last week the government made it mandatory for anyone arriving from an EU country before 6 April to quarantine for five days and take a Covid-19 test at the end of the quarantine. Similar measures were already in place for non-EU countries.

The red zone measures are not as tough as those in place last spring, as people are not forced to stay at home. They can walk or exercise close to home, and a maximum of two people (not counting children under 14) are permitted to visit another household within their town no more than once a day. Families can also travel to second homes, apart from in regions where there is a ban, such as Sardinia and the Aosta Valley.

Ireland remains under maximum-level pandemic restrictions, with a 5 km travel limit and a mandatory 12-day hotel quarantine for travelers from 32 countries deemed high risk. From 6 April another 26 countries – none from the EU – will be added to the quarantine list.

Health officials wanted to add even more countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the US, but faced resistance from the attorney general and foreign ministry.

 

200 Air Purification Units Installed in 29 JTA Properties

RGF® Environmental Group, Inc., announced the successful installation of RGF's patented air treatment solutions across the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's (JTA) real estate portfolio. The 29 buildings represent over 203,000 square feet protected by RGF air treatment solutions with a proven efficacy of greater than 99% for neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus within indoor spaces.

"RGF is working with building owners across the United States to provide safe environments for employees," said Tony Julian, Vice President of Commercial Products, RGF® Environmental Group, Inc. "Multi-modal transportation hubs, such as the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center, are critical links to get Americans safety to and from their places of work."

"The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is committed to the safety of our customers and employees during this public health emergency and beyond," said JTA Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. "The installation of RGF's equipment in our indoor spaces is an example of our commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone to experience." 

"Within a service and maintenance contract with JTA, Weather Engineers, Inc. provided engineering and installation services for RGF's air treatment solutions," notes Dan Griffin, president of Weather Engineers, Inc. "The Indoor Air Quality enhancement project includes the new Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla which serves as the JTA's main bus transfer facility, regional mobility hub and the JTA's administrative offices." For the project, the JTA chose RGF's award-winning REME HALO®, Package PHI Units, Mini Split PHI, BLU QR® and PTAC PHI units.

RGF® equipment is installed in every HVAC unit and in every building that JTA occupies. When integrated into HVAC units, the RGF® equipment inactivates SARS-CoV-2 by more than 99.9% as demonstrated in a third-party study.

The independent third-party study focused on the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 using RGF's proprietary REME HALO® product with PHI-Cell® technology. The study demonstrated efficacy rates greater than 99.9% against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, commonly known as the coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19. The testing, performed at the Innovative Bioanalysis Laboratories in Cypress, Calif., looked at neutralizing the virus within the occupied space in the air and on surfaces. Results of the study can be viewed here:

RGF® Environmental Group, Inc. manufactures over 500 environmental products and has a 36+ year history of providing the world with the safest air, water and food without the use of chemicals. RGF is an ISO 9001:2015 certified research and innovation company, holding numerous patents for wastewater treatment systems, air purifying devices, and food sanitation systems.

Situated in the heart of the Port of Palm Beach Enterprise Zone, RGF Headquarters span 9 acres, with 130,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office facilities. RGF's Lakeland, FL facility adds over 40,000 square feet for back-up production and lamp production. RGF continues to upgrade its facilities, creating an increased vertical approach to manufacturing, further allowing the company to provide the highest quality and best-engineered products on the market.

Artoflix N95 Mask Approved by Health Canada

Artofix, a subsidiary of Duvaltex, the largest manufacturer of office furnishing textiles in North America, has developed a N95-type mask recently approved by Health Canada. The mask, manufactured through a predominantly Canadian supply chain, offers a new standard in breathability and comfort for this type of personal protective medical equipment.

The company is now seeking a supply contract with the government. In the short term, Artofix will be able to meet demand from Quebec and Canadian hospitals for N95 masks by producing close to 100,000 units per week. In the coming months, the production capacity could even be increased to more than 400,000 units weekly.

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Artofix responded to the government's call and mobilized its production line to develop an N95-type mask. It differs from what is currently available on the market by its vastly superior comfort, even when worn for several hours. In fact, because of its ergonomic shape and increased comfort, the Artofix mask is the ideal personal protective equipment for health care professionals in the fight against Covid-19.

The critical materials that ensure a filtration level of upwards of 95% of particles are entirely manufactured by Canadian companies. The use of Artofix masks would help the healthcare network to mitigate the risks of volatile international markets and the protectionist reflexes of foreign countries. The Artofix N95 mask steps up as the solution that gives Canadians peace of mind about the availability of personal protective medical equipment in times of crisis.

Artofix also distinguished itself in a competition held by Canada's Next Generation (NGen) Manufacturing Supercluster, which announced that it would fund a portion of the company's first phase of production-capacity expansion. This commitment is an important endorsement of Artofix's mask quality and the company's ability to ensure a local supply of N95 masks. Artofix hopes that its product will convince the federal government to promptly approve a long-term supply contract.

The Artofix mask has been licensed by Health Canada, having already been subjected to stringent laboratory testing by the public health agency for critical particle filtration and resistance to inhalation and exhalation. The Canadian 95PFE certification, modeled on the American N95 standard, ensures that the mask filters a minimum of 95% of particles and aerosols in the air. The certification also confirms Artofix as a medical equipment supplier and ensures that the company has rigorous quality control processes in place. Health Canada approved the product last February under the Interim Order made by the federal government on March 18, 2020.

 

Nanofiber Group Offers Licenses and Equipment for Mask, Filtration and Wipes Manufacturing

The Nanofiber Group is offering worldwide licenses and unique melt-fibrillation equipment for manufacturing fibers ranging in size from 200 nanometers up to and beyond 20 microns. The technology includes decades of practical experience and know how having produced nanofiber products for 3M, GE Energy and others. In addition, it includes access to over two dozen patents from various, major companies. Capital and operating costs are considerably lower than conventional meltblown processes and at comparable throughput. Plans are to have a 30" demonstration/production line up and running summer of 2021.

NFG’s Sub-Micron, Melt Fibrillation uses a minimum of three nozzles per inch for 30 grams per minute per inch.

 

Employers Can Require High Efficiency Masks Even if OSHA Does Not

There is anticipation of an OSHA rule to mandate high efficiency masks. The regulation was scheduled for March 15 but has been delayed. However, employers have the power to enforce use of high efficiency masks.

 Generally, employers have wide discretion when it comes to enforcing safety and health requirements. This is the conclusion of Dana Berber of Akerman LLP whose firm is involved in HR defense.

Under various federal, state, and local laws, employers actually have an affirmative obligation to provide a reasonably safe working environment for their employees (as well as for any clients, customers, or other visitors). When the pandemic began, federal agencies like OSHA and the CDC put in place certain procedural guidelines for employers to enact (temperature checks, social distancing, health screening, etc.) in order to protect employees and other third parties from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as states begin to allow employees to return to normal life before face coverings, no guidance issued by the CDC or OSHA suggests that the federal government is supporting an end to mask mandates.

In fact, OSHA’s February 2021 advisory guidance, titled “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace”, suggests that employers provide workers with face coverings at no cost and require non-workers who visit the workplace to wear face coverings. The guidance pointedly does not encourage employers to forgo mask policies—instead, it states clearly, “Wearing a face covering is complementary to and not a replacement for physical distancing.” Any employer looking to continue face covering mandates in its workplace can look directly to this OSHA guidance for support.

Of course, employers must discuss reasonable accommodations with any workers who cannot wear certain types of face coverings due to a disability. The February 2021 OSHA guidance also cautions employers to not implement measures that would single-out employees who are not vaccinated, for example only requiring unvaccinated employees to wear a mask. And, as always, employers should continue to take steps to ensure that workers are not retaliated against for raising any safety concerns. This is especially important now that employees may feel emboldened to set aside their face coverings because they have been vaccinated.

OSHA also recently announced a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) directive, designed to significantly reduce worker exposure to COVID-19 by targeting industries where employees are likely to have a high frequency of close-contact exposures (think healthcare facilities, supermarkets, manufacturing, restaurants, meat processing facilities, etc.). Each OSHA Regional Office will conduct targeted COVID-19 inspections from a randomized list, and OSHA predicts that there will be about 1,600 inspections OSHA-wide. This NEP is effective through March 12, 2022, unless canceled or extended by a superseding directive.

Continuing to require face coverings may not only be compliant with OSHA guidance; it may also reduce liability for employers as they begin to reopen their businesses to employees and the public. Employers are also facing multiple pandemic-related lawsuits relating to COVID-19 cases and health risks. These cases often involve alleged employer liability arising from claims of wrongful death, negligence, violation of OSHA standards, and failure to enforce safety measures. However, as previously blogged, there are steps an employer may take to minimize exposure to COVID-19 related litigation, including implementing and maintaining pandemic-related safety measures consistent with current federal, state, and local guidance.

With some exceptions, employers can still mandate face coverings in the workplace as they see fit, especially because face covering policies relate directly to safety protocols recommended by OSHA and the CDC to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. CDC guidance even indicates that fully vaccinated individuals still need to follow guidance at their workplace. Thus, when faced with employees who are refusing to comply with mask/face covering rules at work, employers can in fact require that face coverings are worn in the workplace or on the job in accordance with its policies. In the event employees refuse or fail to comply with mask mandate policies, employers are able to discipline and/or terminate employees in the name of keeping other employees and the public safe from the spread of COVID-19. Employers should ensure that they have established face covering/mask policies and other COVID-19 policies if they wish to enforce such requirements amongst all employees.