The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) announced it has earned the GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation through Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a Division of ISSA. GBAC STAR was developed by the worldwide cleaning industry association ISSA and is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation for facilities.
In order to achieve the GBAC STAR accreditation, SBP demonstrated compliance with 20 different health and safety elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Staff trainings, technical assessments, and implementation plans also played a large role in the accreditation.
“While the plans and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention are important, they are only one component of an overall strategy to keep airports operational, safe, and secure,” stated the Global Biorisk Advisory Council. “Individual elements of these plans are insufficient to deal with the challenges posited by the current pandemic. Rather, it is the combination and interlinkage of these elements, as well as area-specific approaches, that are the keys to success.”
“The health and safety of travelers and employees has always been the highest priority for SBP. Earning this accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have continued to show up every day throughout this pandemic and work diligently in order to meet the high standards that our passengers expect when traveling,” said Courtney Johnson, director of airports. “We are proud to be recognized for our rigorous standards, hard-working team and our long-term plans to care for our passengers and community.”
The airport had already implemented several health, safety, and security measures as part of its SBP Nonstop Service program. The GBAC STAR accreditation demonstrates to facility visitors and employees that airports are prioritizing occupant safety and have the necessary steps in place to handle biorisks like the novel coronavirus. SBP joins Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) and Meadows Field Airport (BFL), as the first three GBAC STAR Accredited Airport Facilities in California.
