Keeping Riverview Safe during COVID-19

Riverview Director of Facilities, Rich Garnett (pictured) discusses implementing groundbreaking sanitization protocols to help combat the virus.

The health and safety of students and staff at Riverview School is the foremost priority of the School’s trustees, administrators, and every person intimately connected to the world renown learning community.

One of the people at the forefront of that charge is Rich Garnett, the School’s Director of Facilities. Rich and his team are responsible for the safety and upkeep of Riverview’s 19 dormitories, 5 academic buildings, 2 administrative buildings, cafeteria, gymnasium, and the School’s two businesses; Café Riverview and Second-View Thrift Store. In addition, they maintain 22 acres of grounds, and a fleet of 24 vehicles.
Rich’s safety training is unmatched. He’s earned his Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 Card, which is a certification that states he is trained to maintain a safe work environment. He has also earned his OSHA Competent Person Trained, a certification that prepares him to oversee a crew’s safety in a group environment.

Rich says that he never misses an opportunity to learn something new, and has certainly proven that during this challenging and ever-changing time of COVID-19. Rich has been following the situation very closely since March when initial guidance was shared, and has made it his mission to learn everything that he can do to minimize risk at Riverview. As a result, he and his staff have earned the latest safety training certifications and executed groundbreaking sanitization protocols to combat the virus at the School.

“Maintenance staff has taken best practices cleaning and sanitation webinars. We’ve purchased the best sanitizing equipment available; including negative ion foggers, electrostatic foggers, and bleach misting sprayers. We have met or exceeded all guidance from the Dept. of Labor Standards, Department of Elementary School Education (DESE), Early Education and Care (EEC), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for sanitizing, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), and building operations. And we stay on top of it all by checking for updates several times a week,” said Rich.
One cutting edge procedure that has been implemented at Riverview is the use of electrostatic foggers. After daily cleaning and bleaching, all of the classrooms, dorms, administrative offices and common spaces are then fogged with Bioesque solution, an all-natural botanical biocide. The product has a 2-minute dwell time (how long it takes to effectively sanitize) and its active ingredient is derived from thyme oil. It can be used on food surfaces, and Rich chose it because he felt it was the best option for limiting student and staff exposure to toxins; as well as its short dwell time.

Additionally, Rich has seen to it that 50 hand sanitizer dispensers be installed in dorms and school buildings, that all HVAC systems are on 100% make up air to bring the maximum amount of fresh air into the buildings, and much more including:

• Installing 13 Merv filters in the HVAC per the recommendation of the American Society for Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE – the group that is responsible for all air quality and design code guidelines) to filter out COVID particulate;
• Fitting UV-C irradiators into the Heath Care Center return air ducts to sanitize the return air prior to recirculation;
• Ensuring there are 2 additional custodial staff working on weekends to clean dorm bathrooms;
• Mounting a multitude of new COVID-related signage for spacing, handwashing, masks, exits;
• Putting up separation barriers to keep pods from mingling.

Beyond sanitization practices, Riverview staff, students and their families have all agreed to a social contract that includes strict adherence to masking and social distancing. There is very limited interaction beyond living and learning pods. Staff and students are tested regularly, as well as self-attest every day. And if anyone exhibits symptoms, a quarantine protocol is implemented immediately.

When asked, Rich responded that he feels that the School is doing everything right when it comes to maintaining health and safety during the Pandemic. “We are all doing our best navigating the Pandemic. The students are so happy to be back together even though they’re distanced. They are learning and growing. Our work is meaningful. Their smiles tell us that.”