Tesla Nevada Gigafactory working to reduce exposure to mosquito fire smoke
Crew members of a water truck monitor the backfiring of a mosquito fire in Forest Hill, an unincorporated area of Placer County, California, on September 13, 2022.
Josh Edelson | AFP | Getty Images
As massive wildfire Over the past week, smoke and ash that have chewed through tens of thousands of acres in California have blown into nearby towns, including Sparks, home of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada.
Tesla has taken steps to protect its employees from exposure to smoke from wildfires (mosquito fire) as much as possible, but the company has not hesitated to furlough its employees.
According to an internal memo shared by CNBC, Tesla informed facility employees that the building’s heating and cooling (HVAC) system was set to “recirculation mode to limit the amount of outside air entering the factory.” Did.
Overall air quality around the Tesla facility was ranked “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” on Thursday and Friday, with approximately 57 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter of air. US Air Quality Index.
When air quality is very poor, people of all ages are encouraged to seriously limit their outdoor activities and wear masks outdoors to filter out smoke and other pollutants. It is also recommended to keep windows closed to block pollution from homes and offices.
The Nevada Gigafactory’s HVAC filters have been upgraded to MERV 13 level and above over the past year to capture wildfire particulates. These filters have been replaced with new ones more frequently this year, and Tesla told workers that it will continue to do so in the smoky conditions.
The area was also plagued by wildfires and air pollution last year.california Kaldor FireFor example, in 2021 more than 220,000 acres will be burned, homes and land destroyed, dangerous air Quality in surrounding areas including Nevada.
According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), “Climate change, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires not only in California but around the world.”
Workers who are permanently outdoors or who frequently roam outdoors were urged to pick up N95 masks at the Gigafactory office and were also informed of their air quality levels this week.
Mosquito fires were down by 20% as of late Friday, according to the report. Calfire websitecooler weather was forecast over the weekend, which was expected to help firefighters in their efforts to put out the blazes.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/17/tesla-nevada-gigafactory-works-to-cut-mosquito-fire-smoke-exposure.html Tesla Nevada Gigafactory working to reduce exposure to mosquito fire smoke
