The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI), a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of unbiased, peer-reviewed research for the professional cleaning and disaster restoration industries, will now host its upcoming Symposium exclusively via live stream. 

From a desktop, tablet or mobile device, attendees will be able to attend the full-day plenary event, which will explore pandemic preparedness and the coronavirus from multiple angles. This includes strategies for training frontline workers, communicating with stakeholders during a pandemic, cleaning measurement and a deep dive into disinfection. 

“As the impact of the coronavirus and COVID-19 continues to unfold, professionals need to know the best practices they can use to protect their facilities,” said John Downey, Executive Director. “The decision to hold the CIRI Symposium via live stream helps put critical information in the hands of those who need it most.”

Each session will include laser-focused presentations of 15-20 minutes each followed by an extended Q&A panel session. Topics and presenters are expected to include:

Session I: Pandemic Preparedness — Coronavirus and More

• Understanding Pandemics and COVID-19 by Eugene Cole, Dr.PH., former Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Brigham Young University and Director of Research, LRC Indoor Testing & Research
• Effective Training Strategies of Frontline Workers by Patricia Olinger JM, RBP, Executive Director GBAC, a Division of ISSA
• Effective and Essential Client Communications by Eugene Cole, Dr.PH. and Patricia Olinger JM, RBP

Session II: Measuring Clean

• How to Measure Your Cleaning Methods & Processes by John Richter, MSME, Clinical Faculty Member, Engineering Department, Miami University, Oxford, OH
• Novel Techniques to Measure Microbes in the Indoor Environment by Ashleigh Bope, Ph.D. Candidate, The Ohio State University
• Measuring the Success of Mold Remediation for the Highly Mold Sensitive by Gary Rosen, Ph.D., Certified Mold and Allergen Free Corp.
• Basic Hygiene Measurements by Eugene Cole, Dr.PH.

Session III: Delving Deeply into Disinfection

• What is Clean? Defining a Healthy Indoor Microbiome by Sarah R. Haines, Doctoral Student, Environmental Science, The Ohio State University
• Disinfection: A Critical Component of Environmental Infection Control by Eugene Cole, Dr.PH. Director of Research, LRC Indoor Testing & Research
• Aqueous Ozone by Steve Hengsperger, Founder, Tersano, Inc.
• Comparing Chemistries Used for Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfection in Healthcare Settings by Jeremiah Gray, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of EarthSafe

“Whether you are an individual seeking advice on best practices to control an outbreak in your facility, or an organization looking to better understand the science behind cleaning, you won’t want to miss this event,” added Downey. “Our panelists will deliver the unbiased, technical information that people need to make sound decisions now and later.”

The CIRI Symposium will take place on March 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost for registration is $179 for non-members; CIRI members will receive a 50 percent discount. Registrants will be sent a coded link to access the livestream from their mobile or desktop device. As a bonus, the individual sessions will be available after the event for paid participants to use for training and communication purposes. To register, go to http://bit.ly/CIRI2020.