Humanscale is launching a new product solution to provide personal protection as companies return to the workplace, as well as visual and acoustical privacy. Its new WellGuard Separation Panels can help protect employees by reducing the airborne transmission of viral particles between workstations. As workplaces begin to reopen to employees with an elevated focus on safety, separation panels are likely to be a necessity in every office: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recently issued recommendations for businesses and employers suggest “modifying the workspace” or implementing “physical barriers such as partitions” to maintain social distancing.
“COVID-19 has forever changed the workplace. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be challenged to rethink how we behave, utilize and design traditional workspaces,” said David Wong, Humanscale Vice President of Product Development Design & Engineering. “For saturated desking areas, separation panels are essential to reduce airflow across individual workstations.”
Designed to accommodate a wide variety of environments, Humanscale’s WellGuard Separation Panels are customizable, easy to install, and highly durable. Available in six mounting options, permanent or removable, the separation panels accommodate a variety of workstations and can easily attach to any new or preexisting worksurface. The plastic resin (PETG) panels are available in a clear or frosted finish and, unlike acrylic panels, will not crack, discolor, or degrade after being cleaned with heavy-duty chemicals. Offering a uniquely enduring and sustainable design solution, the plastic resin panels utilize the same plastic as number 1 PET resin, the most recycled plastic globally, with half the lifecycle Carbon Footprint of acrylic. The Felted PET Panels utilize this same PET resin and are available in light or dark gray. Both PETG and felted PET panels are available in various widths and heights to ensure proper coverage in any workspace.
In addition to the safety benefits, the panels can help to reduce workplace distractions. Studies show that constant peripheral interruptions in the workplace can have a negative effect on employee well-being and productivity. If specified in either frosted plastic resin or felted PET, WellGuard Separation Panels can help to reduce visual distractions where needed. For offices that prefer visibility and the open office aesthetic, clear plastic resin panels are also available. Additionally, WellGuard Panels in felted PET can help to reduce noise through active sound absorption. By reducing audio and visual distractions, WellGuard Separation Panels accommodate focused work and can help to boost efficiency and wellbeing in the open office.
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