The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) was awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation by ISSA: The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry.
Considered the gold standard for safe facilities, the GBAC program was designed to control the risks associated with infectious agents, including the virus responsible for COVID-19. The LVCC was the first facility in Nevada to receive the accreditation.
ISSA introduced the GBAC STAR™ accreditation program earlier this year as the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation. To achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, the LVCC was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious accreditation, which demonstrates our commitment to health and safety as we work toward reopening our doors,” says Brian Yost, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “While this has been a challenging time, the meetings and conventions industry in Las Vegas is resilient. This is a significant first step toward ensuring the safety of our operations in this new environment.”
The LVCC is among a growing group of convention centers, arenas, and public venues in the nation to achieve accreditation, ensuring that employees are trained with best work practices, protocols, procedures and systems for biorisk prevention and containment. The GBAC STAR accreditation is also ideal for facilities such as offices, restaurants, hotels, airports, stadiums and other public venues of all sizes.
“Accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers, and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to deliver clean and healthy environments that are safe for business” said Patricia Olinger, Executive Director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council.
The LVCVA also developed a comprehensive plan for a new system of cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention. The plan was developed in collaboration with health officials and key stakeholders after extensive, thoughtful research on health and safety protocols and industry best practices.
