The AMCA International laboratory in Arlington Heights, Ill.—closed since March 23 following a statewide “stay-at-home” order intended to slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—will resume operations on Monday, March 30.

AMCA has concluded laboratory operations can continue under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Executive Order No. 8 for the State of Illinois in response to COVID-19 and under risk guidance from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (laboratory technicians are classified under Lower Exposure Risk).

Test units will be triaged as follows:

  • Each test unit will be shelved inside the AMCA laboratory for a minimum of two weeks.
  • Precertification and contract tests will be conducted first, followed by laboratory check tests and then manufacturing check tests. Laboratory check tests can be prioritized higher if laboratory accreditation is needed to satisfy contract requirements.

The calling of manufacturing check tests has been suspended.

New-Product Certifications and Catalog Revisions
AMCA will continue to review documentation for new products and catalogs. Please send documentation electronically through AMCAConnect. If you need assistance, please contact AMCA at certification@amca.org .

Seals
Orders for AMCA seals currently in stock will be processed and shipped every Friday. AMCA is attempting to determine when new seals will become available from its supplier.

Meetings and Committee Activity
AMCA committee meetings are still taking place, albeit electronically.

Laboratory Accreditations
AMCA will continue to review documentation for laboratory accreditations, but travel for witness tests has been suspended. Please send documentation to AMCA Technical Director Nazme Mohsina at  nmohsina@amca.org .

Webinars
The next AMCA insite TM webinar, “Specifying Fans for Industrial Environments,” will take place as scheduled at 1 p.m. ET on April 7. To register for this event, which is worth one professional-development hour through Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP), click here . Additionally, registration for AMCA’s May 20 webinar, “New Fan Efficiency Requirements in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2019,” is now open .

Other Laboratories
  • Thomas Bell-Wright (TBW) has suspended sand-louver testing until April 6.
  • The Asia AMCA laboratory is closed until at least March 31 and perhaps until April 14.
  • CETIAT remains in operation, but AMCA is uncertain of the triage process for fan testing.

Please share this with others in your organization. For more information, visit AMCA’s Web page devoted to COVID-19 . The page, which is updated regularly, includes a list of U.S. federal and state emergency legislation, preparedness guidance for businesses and families, and more.