The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and consultancy Zutari have developed a “safe return to the workplace” guideline, to help facilitate a responsible reopening of offices in South Africa.

“What is emerging is a realisation that lockdown cannot be a long-term strategy against Covid-19 and that the ‘new normal’ for workplaces is evolving because of the need for human interaction,” says GBCSA technical head Georgina Smit.

Although a “new normal” is emerging in office working, it will need to respond not only to a changed world of work but will have to manage health-related risks as well.

The guideline is a technical guide for existing buildings that identifies best practise recommendations for a healthy and safe return. The guide is available for free and aimed at building owners, facilities managers, office managers and tenants.

“Commercial buildings are not typically designed to standards aimed at minimising the spread of infectious disease to the extent of hospitals that are built for this purpose.

“However, there are various measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission,” says Zutari technical director Martin Smith.

The framework and guideline consist of five categories and 45 initiatives and have been put together to understand the range of options that should be considered when implementing the return to the workplace, with safety as the key priority.

It provides an overview that identifies infection control strategies at various levels of decision-making and responsibility.

Smith explains that the guidelines are set up in a structure similar to the Green Star rating tools, with various interventions grouped under a number of applicable categories.

He adds that a short aim description and a background is provided for each initiative.

The guide puts forward a recommended best practice for each initiative. It is a user-friendly starting point for stakeholders to understand what needs to be considered for a safe workplace.

The guide considers initiatives related to management, personal behaviour, indoor air quality, safe water systems and design for safety. Each category has been collated around the point of control within the building in mind.

For example, the management category highlights the need for mental health support services that encourage resiliency and ensures that discrimination does not occur.

Smith says the first step for those interested in applying this to a building they work in is a healthy building assessment audit.

“The purpose of this is to provide an understanding of the current status of the building and its related services and address the preparedness of management and staff to handle health-related risks. It serves as a gap analysis of your building’s status in relation to desired outcomes and requirements of this guide.”

Smith emphasises that the role of air quality needs to be considered, which involves addressing building ventilation rates to ensure sufficient ventilation or outdoor air supply rates, to minimise a build-up of pathogens or contaminants suspended in the air.

Good amounts of fresh air also contribute to occupant wellness, which could translate into productivity benefits.

When considering mitigation strategies for a building, it is important to understand how infections such as Covid-19 spread.

The risk associated with the following four most common transmissions routes should be addressed when using this guide: person-to-person through macro droplets; airborne transmission; fomite transmission and faecal-oral transmission.

“Mitigating risks associated with each one of these transmission routes has a massive impact on the way a building and its occupants need to be managed to ensure everyone’s safety,” Smith says.

GBCSA and Zutari urge stakeholders to use this opportunity to facilitate the shift to creating healthy spaces for people to work, collaborate and contribute to creating a better place for all.