A blue-ribbon panel of experts convened by the Water Environment Federation to evaluate safety of wastewater workers during the coronavirus pandemic concluded that occupational risk of infection is low, standard wastewater treatment processes inactivate the virus, and additional research should be conducted to further increase understanding of hazards and protections for personnel. The panel also updated the guidelines for protection of wastewater personnel from potential pathways of exposure to biological hazards, including coronavirus.
The panel was comprised of experts involved in water operations, science, health, and safety and its report was provided to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The panel found that best practices for protecting the health of workers exposed to wastewater should be followed, such as engineering and administrative controls, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE) normally required for tasks when handling untreated wastewater. At locations where wastewater or sludge is sprayed, the possibility of inhaling potentially infectious agents will increase and use of surgical masks, or their equivalent, and goggles may help to minimize contact.
The blue-ribbon panel recommended research to further increase understanding of hazards and protections for water personnel. This includes conducting epidemiological studies of the incidence of infectious diseases among wastewater workers, with further analyses of PPE use and effectiveness. It is also recommended a study to evaluate respiratory exposure for tasks performed by workers in wastewater collection and treatment. This is particularly relevant to aerosolization of wastewater whereby exposure to potentially infectious agents via aerosols may be possible. However, much remains unknown about the role aerosols have in infectious virus transmission, specifically coronavirus.
Source: Waterworld
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