Photo: Mark Divittorio/YouTube
Tesla Giga Nevada is reducing its employees' exposure to wildfire smoke during work hours. The factory has upgraded the HVAC filters to MERV 13 and the system is running in recirculation mode.
A massive wildfire has engulfed California once again. Cities and settlements located in relative proximity to the fire areas were enveloped in smoke and ash, threatening the health of their citizens. Sparks, Nevada, where Tesla's factory is located, is among the cities that continue to suffer from the negative impact of the fire, however, the manufacturer has taken care of the safety in the workplace.
According to an internal memo reviewed by CNBC, Tesla told factory employees that the company has taken steps to keep them safe at work. In particular, it was notified that the building’s heating, venting, and cooling (HVAC) system was set to a “recirculation mode to limit the amount of outside air pulled into the factory.”
Overall air quality around the Tesla facility, just like in Sparks, was ranked “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy,” which means that it is not safe for people to be outdoors. If there is a need to be outdoors, then it is necessary to wear a mask that will filter smoke and other pollutants. It is recommended to keep outdoor air out of homes and offices. In such a situation, quality HVAC systems are life-saving, helping to get clean air to breathe.
Over the last year, Gigafactory Nevada HVAC filters have been upgraded to MERV 13 or higher to deal with pollution from wildfires, which unfortunately are on the rise. Such a filter can remove up to 95% of the particles that pass through it and purifies even smoky air with high quality. According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), “climate change, primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires not only in California but also all over the world.” Tesla said in a letter to Giga Nevada employees that these filters have been replaced more frequently, and this will continue, which is especially true under the current conditions.
© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
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About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
