New guidance has been published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on how ventilation in the workplace can help to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The guidance includes a short section on ‘workplace settings’ which explains the importance of identifying areas that are not well ventilated, gives examples of control measures for reducing the risk of airborne transmission and indicates that any actions to improve ventilation should not compromise other aspects of safety and security (for example, propping open fire doors should be avoided).

It indicates that 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. There is also brief advice on mechanical ventilation systems.

The DHSC guidance follows an update this week to the Health and Safety Executive guidance for employers on Ventilation and air conditioning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This fuller guidance for employers adds the reminder that ventilation should be considered alongside other control measures needed to reduce risks of transmission as part of making your workplace COVID-secure, such as social distancing, keeping your workplace clean and frequent handwashing.