Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2020 21:59
From: David Love
Subject: Procedures for safely working in homes and institutions
Margaret
Two people wearing a mask in proximity to each other just decreases the probability of transmission. It doesn't guarantee it under any circumstances. As many have pointed out it's probably more important for the infected person to be wearing the mask since it prevents projectile coughing to some degree. If the mask is porous enough it will allow some penetration. But the issue is not if you get "any" exposure, it's how much exposure. You need to receive amount of the virus to get infected. Wearing a mask helps on both sides.
BTW I don't think you're full of crap ;-)
------------------------------
David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2020 21:44
From: Margaret Jusiel
Subject: Procedures for safely working in homes and institutions
Please feel free to call me out on this if I am full of crap, but I've been sewing 4 different kinds of masks, two of which can take a filter. I find filters quite laughable in home made masks because: 1) The filter doesn't go to the edges which have seams. 2) These seams have sewing needle holes through them, and some masks have sewing needle holes in other seams in the middle of the mask. 3) Even if you could get the filter to the edge, which you can't, the air goes around the edges all the time unless you tape it to your face. So, I've been using a mask made from very high thread count with a pretty good nose wire; when I get the nose wire just right, it actually is hard to breath through & seals rather well on inhales (not on exhales), so I figure...good enough. Since these masks aren't meant to protect us but those we might breathe on, I don't see how a filter does any good since the air really does go around it. Having said all that, I don't see how the filters hurt unless they give you a false sense of security or cost too much. 🤷
------------------------------
Maggie Jusiel
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net
Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2020 21:20
From: Aaron Bousel
Subject: Procedures for safely working in homes and institutions
Marty Reyburn of Cybertuner is making masks. They come with one filter and then you need to buy more. They give a link on Amazon for getting more filters. The filter do all seem to come from China, based on the delivery times.
------------------------------------
Aaron Bousel
Registered Piano Technician
413-253-3846
Original Message------
Here is the response I got from our state's OSHA department.
Good afternoon, Cy Shuster:
I hope all is going well for you. My name is Ken Marshall, I'm a health consultant for NM OHSB (OSHA). I have received the consultation request form you submitted online. Thank you for sending in the request!
As for your specific request you ask for "guidance in being able to safely work in people's homes, where I'll spend two hours touching their piano, which they will then in turn spend a lot of time touching. Can the virus be transmitted from hard surfaces in the piano to my metal tools? Do I need to disinfect tools between each customer?"
Answer: yes and yes…
Additional information:
The transmission route for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the COVID-19 infection, is continually being evaluated. I have not come across any specific evidence involving pianos and metal tool transmission; but there is evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is able to cling to these hard surfaces, then be transferred to you or someone else either by direct contact or becoming re-aerosolized. So, the best practice would be to decontaminate these tools with an EPA recommended chemical after each potential exposure. The decontamination process should be done as soon as possible (before getting into your vehicle) to limit the potential spread. In general you should approach each customer with the suspicion that there is SARS-CoV-2 inside their home and your customer is actively shedding the virus, or you have it and will be shedding it too. That said, OSHA does have a webpage that addresses 'in-home repair services'. For the most part, so long as you are not entering a home with someone suspected of having COVID-19 or known to have it, then the risk level to you is 'medium' for Albuquerque and much of NM. If you do go into a home with someone suspected or known to have COVID-19 then the risk would be 'high'. The 'very high' risk is going into someone's home who is known to have COVID-19 and there is no way to isolate you from them or there is activities within the work space that could re-aerosolize SARS-CoV-2 (using compressed air for cleaning the piano or dry sweeping?) I would recommend that you stay out of the high or very high exposure risk category. If your work practice involves generating dust then you really need to try to eliminate that practice or implement an engineer control to mitigate the risk to yourself.
The recommendations OHSA puts forth in 'in-home repair services' contain very useful information; please look over that webpage. OSHA's website on COVID-19, as well as the CDC is being updated as new information becomes available. I recommend that you look into wearing in addition to the cloth facemask Gov. Grisham has talked about, a pair of cotton coveralls (or some other easily removed outer garment), along with foot & hair coverings. This serves a couple of purposes: first, it tells your customer that you have their wellbeing in mind, and second, taking these items off prior to entering your vehicle will lessen the chance of spreading the virus. The coveralls can be placed in a plastic bag to be decontaminated later at home or laundry mat. The boot & hair coverings dispose of along with any disposable gloves you might have on during the work. Leave your facemask on while you take off the coveralls, boot and head cover. I know this sounds like an over-kill but this virus is spreading in ways previously not thought to be of any importance. So what sounds like an over-kill now might turn out to be a common practice tomorrow. Frequent use of hand sanitizer/washing hands is important. Especially when taking off these layers of clothing (personal protective equipment or PPE). It is not known how many viral particles of SARS-CoV-2 is required to become sick with COVID-19, so the lowest possible exposure is going to be best.
Keep in mind that these steps you, & everyone else, are implementing are very unique and will add time to your schedule. Be sure to plan accordingly. By you demonstrating these practices in front of your customers sends a strong message to them and the community that you value them and their on-going commitment to stopping the spread of this virus.
Cy, I hope this helps to answer your question. The consultation service offered by OSHA is normally done in person, so doing this from home via e-mail presents some challenges for both of us. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Ken Marshall
Health & Safety Consultant
New Mexico Environment Department
Occupational Health and Safety Bureau
121 Tijeras Avenue NE, Suite 1000
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102-3400
Office: (505) 222-9591
Kenneth.Marshall@state.nm.us
https://www.env.nm.gov/occupational_health_safety/consultation-program/
Twitter: @NMEnvDep | #IamNMED
"Innovation, Science, Collaboration, Compliance"
------------------------------
Cy Shuster, RPT
Albuquerque, NM
http://www.shusterpiano.com
------------------------------