Maverik Center is certified clean during pandemic times
Apr 07, 2021 12:14PM ● By Darrell Kirby
The Maverik Center in West Valley City touts its accreditation by an international biorisk organization for meeting stringent cleaning and sanitization standards. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
By Darrell Kirby | [email protected]
At a time when people are paying more attention to the cleanliness of public venues, the Maverik Center has been recognized for its efforts to reduce the spread of germs, viruses and the illnesses they cause.
Against the backdrop of COVID-19, the West Valley City-owned sports and events arena has received accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council for following a strict cleaning and disinfection regimen to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The GBAC STAR certification is the “gold standard for facility preparedness,” according to the Northbrook, Illinois-based organization that “provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification…to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises.” GBAC is a division of ISSA, a worldwide cleaning industry association.
“Visitors and employees want reassurance that it is safe to return to facilities. The Maverik Center’s GBAC STAR accreditation demonstrates their commitment to proper cleaning, disinfecting, and infection prevention, which is especially critical during the pandemic,” GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger told the West Valley City Journal. “We are proud to see arenas like the Maverik Center taking the necessary steps to meet today’s and tomorrow’s biorisk hazards.”
GBAC says the Maverik Center had to meet requirements that include stringent cleaning procedures, risk assessment strategies, personal protective equipment, and emergency preparedness and response measures.
“The GBAC STAR certification was a process that we felt was important throughout our industry to gain consumer and guest confidence as they return to venues,” said Maverik Center general manager Kevin Bruder. “It is pretty in-depth as far as cleaning and maintenance and movement of people.”
Visit Salt Lake, a nonprofit organization that promotes the Salt Lake City area as a tourist and convention destination, supported the Maverik Center through the accreditation journey. “They want to see visitors and people return to Salt Lake,” Bruder said.
Bruder says there will be no easing up on keeping the 12,000-seat arena sanitary when the pandemic ends. “We’re highly sensitive of letting people know that we’re a safe place to come watch a show, a hockey game, go to an event. It’s going to be an ongoing process as we get more people back.”
The GBAC STAR accreditation must be renewed every year.
