The Yankee Stadium in New York (US) is the first sports and entertainment venue in the world to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management. This was announced by the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™).
Yankee Stadium is a baseball park located in Concourse, Bronx, New York City. It is the home field for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) and New York City FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as being the host stadium for the annual Pinstripe Bowl game.
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division.
The International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) is leading the global movement to transform buildings and communities in ways that help people thrive.
The rating requirements, which have been met by the New York Yankees, serve as a template for best operating procedures to help fight COVID-19, while also providing ‘The Best’ standards for overall health and safety.
By achieving this designation, which has been confirmed by a third-party verifier, Green Business Certification Inc., the club can run with confidence that they are employing best practices for players and staff, and that they are appropriately prepared to greet fans back into the stadium fold when the MLB and local Governmental authorities give the nod.
Launched in June and created by IWBI™, the WELL Health-Safety Rating is informed by guidance developed by among others, the World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The WELL Health-Safety Rating achieved by the Yankees is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing buildings and spaces.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating provides operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans and stakeholder engagement strategies to help organizations prepare and maintain their spaces for re-entry in a post- COVID-19 environment where danger lurks at every corner.
The Yankees joined more than 100 organizations, encompassing over 500 facilities, who enrolled in the documentation-based program at launch and who have begun implementing its scientific guidance.
The Yankee Stadium was bestowed the WELL Health-Safety Rating on the basis of implementing features across five categories:
- Air and water quality management, which includes the assessment of ventilation and fresh air supply through mechanical or natural means, and reviewing the inventory of all filters and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) equipment;
- Cleaning and sanitization procedures, including ensuring proper handwashing and surface contact by staff, improving cleaning practices and their frequency, and selecting cleaning products that disinfect without harmful ingredients;
- Emergency preparedness programs, which provide a blueprint for dealing with unforeseen events and providing an actionable plan for
re-entry after an emergency event; - Health service resources, which promote the well-being of employees through screening services, mental health services, seasonal vaccination programs and a smoke-free environment; and
- Stakeholder engagement and communications, which include employing proper signage throughout Yankee Stadium and promoting health literacy to employees, partners and patrons, including food service safety verification.
Remarked Rick Fedrizzi, IWBI Chairman and CEO, “The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored to companies in every sector how critically important it is to be prepared for a crisis. The Yankees have demonstrated outstanding leadership by taking immediate and thoughtful action to help support the health and safety of their players, fans and employees. We are proud to celebrate this achievement with the Yankees.”
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