Environmental forensics for ensuring microbial safety of the workplace: An international network-of-networks collaboration across disciplines

The presentation will describe efforts to conceptualize, design and implement an interdisciplinary international project focused at monitoring microbiological safety of indoor workplaces. Specific emphasis is on wastewater treatment facilities as focal points for infectious agents where plant operators are at high risk. The approach is based on bringing together engineering, virology and forensic science expertise while the technical innovation is in using specialty surface coatings to detect viruses on surfaces across a range of morphologies and material compositions. Implemented in the frame of several international programs, the project recognizes relevance of approaches and methods of forensic science for microbial safety monitoring; the wealth of knowledge of site assessment, sampling protocols, process flow, and documentation practices accumulated within the forensic expert community can be brought to bear to detect microbial threats in the workplace. By establishing an international collaborative platform of shared data and expertise, the project develops science-based guidance on best practices for protecting frontline workers applicable across a range of exposure scenarios and occupational settings.