Owners should develop protocol for SARS.

Although Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, isn't an epidemic in the United States, building owners and managers should develop a protocol for addressing the issue if cases of the disease become more prevalent, said a speaker at a seminar on the issue.

"It's easy to say 'what's the big deal,' but it could be a big deal," said Scott Robinson, director of safety services for American Building Maintenance, or ABM. "This has the potential to become an epidemic."

Robinson addressed an audience at Sofitel Hotel during a May 21 seminar hosted by American Building Maintenance. The company is working with Local 32BJ, the union that represents 28,000 apartment building service workers, to develop a protocol for handling the issue. The company decided to hold the seminar about a month ago when SARS was becoming a hot topic in the media and clients began making inquiries.

An outbreak of an unusual pneumonia was first reported in the Guandong Province of China in November 2002, but wasn't recognized as SARS until March when cases began to be reported in Hong Kong and Vietnam, according to the New York City Department of Health-and Mental Hygiene.

There have been' 345' cases of SARS reported in the United States, 281 that were suspected and 64 that were probable. The cases were found in various cities across the country, including a few in New York City, Robinson said.

"We thought this was the perfect opportunity to provide some information," Robinson said.

SARS is caused by a virus called a "coronavirus" and is: marked by a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, chills, aches and headaches and a dry cough. Most people who get the disease recover, but as many as 10 to. 15% of possible cases in affected regions have died. The: disease is problematic because it is a rapidly changing virus with no vaccine that is highly communicable. Its' exact source is unknown and it is not going away, Robinson said.

Robinson said the protocol used for SARS is similar to that used with bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis and' AIDS whereby universal precautions are taken to prevent the spread of the "disease.

Among Ways owners and managers can prevent the spread of the disease are:

* maintaining high standards of cleanliness in. shared and public areas such as' conference rooms, bathrooms and elevators

* educating tenans about SARS.

* ensuring that. HVAC systems are functioning properly

* maintaining soap and paper supplies in bathrooms

* establishing a procedure for tenants to follow for reporting SARS cases

If a case of SARS is suspected, owners should first determine whether the symptoms experienced by the impacted person match those of SARS and whether the-person has traveled to an area, such as China, where SARS exists.

"If the answer to both of these questions is 'no' then you're off the hook," he said.

If the answer to both questions is 'yes' then there are measures that must. be taken to address, the problem. Owners can either isolate the area where .the infected person was located or disinfect the area,' which is the preferred method.

There are four types of products that have approved by the Environmental Protection Agency to 'disinfect areas .where a person with SARS, including quaternary ammonium, phenol-based products, ethanol-based products and chlorine-based products.

Under an 11-step protocol developed by ABM, when a suspected case of SARS is reported, ABM will:

* review issue with building management

* determine surfaces to be disinfected

* use barricades to isolate area

* prepare receptacles for contaminated materials

* don personal protective equipment (body covering, gloves, goggles and face shield)

* spot-test all porous and plastic surfaces to ensure compatibility with disinfectant solution -

* use an EPA-registered disinfectant product

* mop floors with EPA-registered product

* properly dispose of materials" used. during cleaning "(can be disposed of in same fashion as normal waste)

* remove barricades after completion of cleaning

* advise building management that work-is completed

For more information on SARS, Robinson suggested researching the websites of the Centers for Disease Control, .the World Health Organization and the New York City Department of Health and-Mental Hygiene. ABM also has information on its website at www.abm.com/sarsinformation.