City of Arlington First in Country to Commit to GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation Program for Municipal Buildings
By Office of Communication
Posted on October 15, 2020, October 15, 2020

In all, the City is seeking accreditation for 23 public facilities, including all recreation centers, golf course clubhouses and libraries, City Hall, and the Municipal Court.

The City of Arlington, Texas, has announced its commitment to achieve Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Arlington is the first city in the United States to implement the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention at its public facilities under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association.

As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program will verify that the City of Arlington implements best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics. In all, the City is seeking accreditation for 23 public facilities, including all recreation centers, golf course clubhouses and libraries, City Hall, and the Municipal Court.

"The GBAC STAR accreditation highlights the importance that the City has placed on providing increased confidence and peace of mind to our residents that they are entering buildings that have been cleaned and disinfected to the industry's highest standards, with safety and sanitation protocols in place, all vetted through a third-party validation process,” Parks and Recreation Director Lemuel Randolph.

The City is also seeking accreditation for Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, which is home to the largest dedicated esports facility in North America and can host up to 2,500 spectators for live competitions.

“This accreditation is one of many steps we’ve taken to ensure our venue is a clean and safe facility for the thousands of visitors who we serve every year. As we begin to welcome guests back to events at the Arlington Expo Center, we want them to know we have done everything we can to provide the best possible experience,” said Mike Hunter, Director of Convention & Event Services. “The GBAC STAR accreditation provides the public with an unbiased assurance that we’re keeping those promises.”

To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the City of Arlington will demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures.

“GBAC STAR accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR, the City of Arlington will receive third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”

 

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