Over the past year, we all started paying a lot more attention to the air we breathe. Safe, clean air is essential for life but can be easily overlooked and underappreciated until something like an airborne disease causes us to take a harder look.
There are many types of airborne diseases, pollutants and pathogens, but the contagious virus that causes COVID-19 has been the most widespread in modern history. While COVID-19 spreads mainly through large respiratory droplets emitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes, it can also spread through tiny airborne particles.
Individuals across the United States and the world have been taking safety precautions, such as wearing masks and filtering air, for more than a year in order to prevent the spread of this virus which has already claimed more than 517,000 lives in the United States alone.
Life Balance has been working hard to help the owners and managers of hospitals, healthcare facilities and commercial facilities monitor their airborne infection control conditions so they can reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases. Our signature SāfAir software helps building owners and managers identify risks so they can act quickly to keep their staff and visitors safe. Here’s how it works:
The map.
Our process starts with a virtual map of a building’s life safety drawings, which are essentially floor plans that identify life safety and emergency features and are required in almost every public building. The SāfAir virtual map covers almost 100% of a facility’s floor plan, vs. 15-20% for the traditional air balance test.
The data.
With SāfAir, air balance contractors can enter measurements for critical rooms and areas into the virtual map. Once a technician enters data, contractors will receive immediate feedback about whether the room “passes” or “fails” the required standards. This allows technicians to begin balancing rooms faster and eliminates time lags which can lead to increased airborne infection risk. Once the testing and the balancing is complete, SāfAir generates a report, which includes a detailed result from each room as well as the whole building.
The standards.
Life Balance researches established air balance standards and works closely with accreditation agencies, as well as local and federal regulators, during the audits and inspections. Life Balance does not create new standards or enforce the current standards; we ensure that current conditions are in compliance with established standards in order to protect the well-being of everyone who spends time in a public building.
For more information or a software demonstration, contact us.
Life Balance Technologies helps hospitals and other companies easily analyze air quality conditions and effectively manage their HVAC systems. By streamlining the process for compliance, auditing, and reporting, we help reduce costs and save lives.