Venue Safe

By: Ian Cox

Published: July 29, 2021 Updated: July 29, 2021

Tags: Blog

Venue Safe – Sanitization at the Kentucky Exposition Center and Kentucky International Convention Center

The GBAC Star Accredited Kentucky Exposition Center and Kentucky International Convention Center operate with additional safety and health standards. View additional details below.

Kentucky Venues is committed to prioritizing the health and safety of our clients, attendees, exhibitors, employees, and partners in the community. We continue to monitor the developments of all infectious diseases via the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Kentucky Venues follows the guidance provided by health organizations for the state. Both Louisville and Kentucky Venues facilities continue to follow the guidance and monitor updates provided by the CDC and other national and local health organizations, state officials, as well as industry associations. We look forward to welcoming groups to Louisville and encourage all organizers with questions or concerns to communicate directly with their sales manager.

Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center are the first centers in Kentucky to have received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation, the gold standard on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. View our release here.

This third-party certification and training helps venues prepare work practices, understand correct disinfection techniques and best cleaning practices for a biohazard situation like the COVID-19.“The health and safety of our guests, clients and employees is of the highest priority. As events resume, we want to exceed industry standards in sanitation and cleanliness,” said President and CEO of Kentucky Venues David S. Beck. “It’s not enough to do the minimum, but to continue to push ourselves to be the best in everything, including preparedness and sanitation.”GBAC STAR is the gold standard of prepared facilities. This accreditation means that a facility has:

Established and maintained a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to minimize risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2);
The proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices in place to combat biohazards and infectious disease; and
Highly skilled cleaning professionals who are trained for outbreak and infectious disease preparation and response.

Kentucky Exposition Center and Kentucky International Convention Center Operations Update Effective July 29:

Based on the new policy issued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky Venues has revised our event guidelines to the following:

Employees must wear either a personal or employer-provided face covering while in an Executive Branch office or state vehicle with other passengers.
Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering when entering Executive Branch buildings/offices.
Kentucky Venues will continue to keep signage in place requesting attendees to wear masks. Kentucky Venues personnel will not be engaged in determining the vaccination status of any guest.
If a Lessee desires to maintain social distancing for their event the venue will evaluate those requests on a case by case basis. The venue will provide additional space for social distancing subject to availability but reserves the right to charge for any additional space needed in order to accommodate such requests.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Requirements

We have continued to improve and act on a plan that ensures the facility, including offices and workstations, are properly cleaned and ventilated routinely. This includes the cleaning and sanitation of frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs or handles, buttons, rails, rental equipment, and countertops) with appropriate disinfectants. Appropriate disinfectants include EPA registered household disinfectants, diluted household bleach solution, and alcohol solutions containing at least 60% alcohol.
Our employees, client’s volunteers, and client’s attendees will be expected to frequently wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer that should be provided by the employer or event organizer.
Employees will wipe their workstations down with disinfectant at the end of their shift or at any time they discontinue use of their workstations/cash register for a significant period of time.
Our team has provided disinfectant at shared equipment locations.
We will establish a cleaning and disinfecting process that follows CDC guidelines when an individual is identified, suspected, or confirmed COVID-19 case.
We are avoiding and minimizing the use of cleaning procedures that could re-aerosolize infectious particles. This includes, but is not limited to, avoiding practices such as dry sweeping or use of high-pressure streams of air, water, or cleaning chemicals.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements

Employees must wear either a personal or employer-provided face covering while inside, attending meetings, trainings and when walking through common areas such as hallways. Employees who can safely practice social distancing in their office or work location may remove their face covering.
A face covering is required to be worn during an employees scheduled work hours while performing job duties on or off the work premises.
We are requiring contractors and vendors to wear face coverings or masks while at the venue or event space.

Training and Safety Requirements

We are placing conspicuous signage at entrances and throughout our facility alerting staff and patrons or attendees to the required occupancy limits, six feet of physical distance, and policy on face coverings. Signage will inform employees, volunteers, and attendees about good hygiene and new practices.
The venue, to the greatest extent practicable, will implement hours where service can be safely provided to constituents at higher risk for severe illness per CDC guidelines.
Employees have been given an outlet to identify and communicate potential improvements and/or concerns without the threat of retribution in order to reduce the potential risk of exposure at the workplace.