NSF on the Front Lines of Improving Human Health

Everyone has the right to live a healthy and productive life. Indeed, we’ve never been more aware of the critical barriers to health as a human right than during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This global crisis brought our work at NSF to the front lines. From helping businesses and schools reopen and stay safe to responding to the needs of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, it shined a spotlight on the critical role NSF plays in protecting and improving human health.

In honor of World Health Day 2022 and its theme, “Health Is a Human Right,” I wanted to showcase some examples of how NSF is making a difference in public health and safety across the globe and in people’s everyday lives. Though we’ve been setting and monitoring safety standards for 75 years, NSF experts came to the forefront over the last two years to help people, industries and government leaders navigate the health care crisis.

“There’s no shortage of guidance from public health authorities,” said Paul Medeiros, Managing Director of NSF’s Consulting and Technical Services group. “People are swimming in guidance, but they need help operationalizing the guidance and applying it to their own unique situations.”

The Checked by NSF™ program includes a wide variety of services — from a smartphone app detailing COVID-19 prevention requirements for specific types of businesses to in-depth consulting services and customized reopening plans based on the latest government public health guidance. The program helps businesses, schools and cultural institutions take the necessary steps to reopen and stay open while minimizing COVID-19 risk for customers, guests and employees.

Parents, workers and many others received great advice on navigating public places throughout the pandemic from NSF expert Medeiros. From social distancing to paying attention to protocols, Paul helped us understand ever-changing local and regional government mandates during the last two years. Our Scrub Club® handwashing resources helped kids and parents review when and how to wash hands — one of the critical ways to protect ourselves from disease transmission.

Human rights are closely tied to how diseases spread and impact communities. We continue to help prevent the spread of disease to humans, animals and the environment through sustainable health and safety expertise. Our professionals across the globe work to develop and monitor human health standards and provide certifications that protect food, water, consumer products and the environment.

NSF’s experienced and formally trained professionals — including former regulators, Ph.D.’s, scientists and physicians — allowed us to quickly assess and respond to the needs of the medical industry. We were able to provide regulatory consulting, eLearning and virtual training services to protect the health and safety of patients and health care workers. We also helped health organizations, governments and manufacturers develop patient safety communications.

NSF continues to assist manufacturers and regulators with emergency preparedness and supply chain resilience for providing medical equipment, including ventilators, diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment (PPE), and much-needed gowns and masks for infection control, in addition to offering essential services to international health care institutions.

Sources:

nphw.org/Themes-and-Facts/2022-world-health

www.nsf.org/consulting/operating-during-covid-19/checked-by-nsf