Bosses told to install carbon dioxide sensors to halt virus

COMPANIES will be told to identify poorly ventilated offices, factories and warehouses, in new guidance that will suggest organisations buy carbon dioxide monitors to assess the risk of Covid19 transmission in workplaces.

Government guidelines due out this week are expected to tell employers to find areas in which staff are working with insufficient fresh air and to reduce the risk of infections by opening windows or installing ventilation systems which draw in air from outside.

The guidance is intended to help companies prepare for the safe return of workers as Boris Johnson gets set to withdraw the “work from home” advice, as part of the fourth step of his plan to lift Covid-19 restrictions.

A No 10 spokesman said the Prime Minister would use a press conference tomorrow to set out the plans and “urge the public to continue to use their freedoms responsibly, so we do not put at risk the progress we have worked so hard for”. The guidance will be finalised early this week after ministers sign off on the proposed set of changes tomorrow ahead of Mr Johnson’s address.

A separate project is to trial the use of carbon dioxide monitors in classrooms.

Last year, a paper produced by Sage’s Environmental and Modelling Group concluded that measuring elevated levels of carbon dioxide – emitted when people exhale – would be an effective way to spot if air flow levels have reached a level where the coronavirus is more likely to spread.

The new guidance on safer working is expected to point out that carbon dioxide monitors can help to identify poorly ventilated areas. The document is expected to refer to advice by the Health and Safety Executive, which states: “People exhale carbon dioxide (CO2) when they breathe out. If there is a build-up of CO2 in an area it can indicate that ventilation needs improving.”

The Health and Safety Executive recommends non-dispersive infrared monitors, which can cost as little as £50. The watchdog states the devices can be “well suited” to monitoring air quality in larger offices and classrooms.