The Los Angeles Convention Center, owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by ASM Global, has been awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery.
Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, GBAC STAR provides third-party validation to ensure the implementation of rigorous protocols in response to biorisk situations. This distinction, says Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, director of GBAC, “makes the LACC the first convention center on the West Coast” and among a small and elite group of public assembly venues to receive the designation in the U.S.
Macgregor-Skinner explains the challenge for facilities is how to take the products and best practices to scale and train building staff to implement them at the level needed to systematically clean and sanitize environments in the era of COVID-19. “It’s about developing a culture of safety for those front-line house cleaning staff and front-line restoration workers,” he says, explaining that for facilities completing the program, the GBAC STAR seal will signal to the public that a facility has met GBAC’s rigorous requirements for maintaining a clean environment and mitigating biological risks.
As a division of the International Sanitary Supply Association, GBAC STAR is an industry accreditation focused on ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment. The program establishes requirements to assist venues by providing best practices, protocols and procedures to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
“Our commitment to the health and safety of our employees, our clients and attendees is enhanced with this third-party recognition and acknowledgement of our practices” says Ellen Schwartz, LACC general manager. “Our team has led the way to gaining this accreditation which underscores the measures we are taking to provide the cleanliness and infection control needed at this time. The GBAC designation along with ASM Global’s VenueShield Program highlights our belief and commitment to pursuing and implementing the best practices in venue management.”
In pursuit of the GBAC STAR accreditation, the LACC has demonstrated competency in 20 program elements with specific performance and guidance criteria. The comprehensive program will enable the LACC to:
- Establish and maintain a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to control and/or minimize risk associated with infectious agents for employees, guests, the community and the environment.
- Provide assurance and establish confidence that proper cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention work practices are in place and
- Establish a framework for communication and raising awareness of best practices as they relate to cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is renowned internationally as a prime site for conventions, tradeshows and exhibitions. Owned by the City of Los Angeles and professionally managed by ASM Global, the LACC attracts more than 2.5 million visitors annually. The facility is an integral economic component to the Southern California area, generating economic benefits through attendee direct and indirect spending and sustaining 12,500+ local jobs. The LACC also remains an enduring symbol of environmental sustainability and social responsibility and is proud to be a LEED Gold certified facility; the venue was recertified on the Gold level in 2015 making the LACC the first convention center of its size in the U.S. to receive LEED EB:O+M Gold re-certification. For more info, visit lacclink.com.
ASM Global is the world’s leading provider of innovative venue services and live experiences. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences. ASM Global’s diverse portfolio of clients benefit from the company’s depth of resources and unparalleled experience, expertise and creative problem-solving. Each day, the company’s 61,000 passionate employees around the world deliver locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to deliver maximum results for venue owners and amazing experiences for guests. By consistently looking for new ways to envision, innovate and empower the spaces and places that bring people together, ASM Global elevates the human spirit while delivering the highest value for all stakeholders. For more info, visit www.asmglobal.com.
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response, and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address, and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration response and remediation, the GBAC STAR facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals, and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more info, visit www.gbac.org.
With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more info, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.
