The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently released guidance
to building owners that would eliminate much of the shared office
space alignments we have seen over recent years in many buildings.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/building-water-system.html
Among other steps, the CDC suggested that:
1. Desks - should be placed 6 feet apart if
possible, and if not, employers ought to use plastic shields to
separate desks.
2. Common Areas - there should be no seating in
the common areas of the building and the tenant suits and amenities
such as refrigerators, microwaves, multiple-serve coffee pots and
water coolers, should be eliminated to enable better social
distancing and less high touch areas. Multi Serve Coffee service
should be replaced by single-serve items.
3. Air Flow - Open windows are recommended for
fresh air, but if that is not possible, office building management
should consider increasing air filtration or having the HVAC
systems draw in as much outdoor air as possible, as much as 100%.
MERV 13 filters or HEPA filters provide a means to capture up to
99% of air borne viruses.
4. Office Interiors - Cleaning frequently touched
surfaces, including keyboards, telephones, handrails and doorknobs
(the CDC lists cleaning products that are good for inactivating
viruses). https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
5. Workers - the CDC suggests that workers should
also undergo temperature checks, wear masks and wash their hands
often. The agency stresses the importance of letting all workers
affected by the changes know what is going on, including management
and other staff, but also relief employees, janitorial staff and
maintenance crews.
Additional information can be found in the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) guide entitled "Getting Back to Work-Preparing Buildings for Reentry," https://boma.informz.net/BOMA/data/images/Getting%20Back%20To%20Work%20Preparing%20Buildings%20for%20Re%20Entry.pdf
Note that many State governments (e.g., New York) have issued their own office reopening guidelines that are similar to the CDC guidance so be sure to check there as well.
As we start to focus on getting back into the office, my sense is the configurations we have seen over the last 5-10 years are about to undergo some serious modifications. Some will be temporary and others, likely will be here to stay.
Duane Morris has created a COVID-19 Strategy Team to help organizations plan, respond to and address this fast-moving situation. Contact your Duane Morris attorney for more information. Prior Alerts on the topic are available on the team's webpage.
For Further Information:
If you have any questions about this post or real estate related questions, please contact Brad A. Molotsky or the attorney in the firm with whom you are regularly in contact.
Be well and stay safe!
Article originally published on 4 June 2020
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.