| 24. Comments
| https://printreplica.westhawaiitoday.com/?publink=35a28426c_134855f - There have been repeated requests by employees and the labor union to measure ventilation rates but no action has been taken. This places the building in at a Very Low rating. --- HSTA Andrea Eshelman, negotiator between the teachers union and the DOE. Union, asking for information since the beginning of the pandemic around ventilation and classroom spaces. - We want an accurate list of classrooms and work spaces assessed, the assessment standard used, if they communicated that with the employees and families, and what the steps are going to be to address that. - DOE Derek Inoshita stated the department purchased 4,200 high-efficiency particulate air purifiers, 650 carbon dioxide sensors, 12,000 box fans, 53 base stations and 396 sensors for a pilot remote-sensing dashboard at select schools. - Currently performing a facilities asset management assessment. Ventilation guidance for schools has been included in the department’s COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance document. - Additional DOH Health and Safety Guidance ventilation strategies include moving activities and classes outdoors when possible, opening windows and doors, using fans, ensuring air-conditioning settings are maximizing ventilation, making sure ventilation systems are serviced and operating, placing exhaust fans in restrooms and kitchens, and setting HVAC systems to bring in outdoor air. - HSTA Eshelman, I really couldn’t tell you what the measurements are. If a parent goes to a school and asks, can you tell me if my kids classroom is properly ventilated, we don’t know if principals can properly answer the question. - HSTA President Osa Tui Jr, The department distributed one box fan per classroom for most classrooms, but not all. It wasn’t determined based on the size of the classroom. What is a box fan going to do when there's no trade winds blowing. - Initial measurements collected from the carbon dioxide monitors were sent to the union, but data was from just 40 schools out of 294 schools in the district. - We continue to ask questions, how did they get that data, what about other rooms that are not listed, what about other schools? - DOE Inoshita, there are approximately 12,000 classrooms statewide with a wide range of ventilation configurations, DOE installed 7,100+ MERV-13 filters and provided 600 rolls of duct tape to convert 1,800 box fans to Corsi-Rosenthal box air cleaners. - The MERV filter data is the response for information about classroom ventilation levels. It is not appropriate, the correct response must include ACH. The Corsi-Rosenthal boxes are do-it-yourself air-purifiers designed to remove particles. They move very little air because the fan becomes very inefficient when a filter is added.
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