ESTATES & FACILITIES
Before After Hidden dangers in ventilation ducts
Richard Norman, chairman of the Building and Engineering Services Association – Ventilation Hygiene branch and managing director of specialist ventilation cleaning services provider, Indepth Hygiene, discusses air quality in hospitals.
of when considering an estate cleaning and maintenance programme; as it typically runs behind walls and ceilings, it can literally be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
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However, debris accumulating in ductwork can propagate allergens, mould and provide a breeding/feeding ground for insects and even vermin. At best this can result in impaired staff productivity and an unpleasant environment for employees, patients and visitors alike; at worst it’s a serious health risk.
Poor air quality can affect performance due to lack of concentration, low energy levels and wellbeing, and can lead to an increase in sick days. Indeed, research has shown that the size of the effect of poor air quality on most aspects of work performance appears to be as high as 6-9%.
It’s also worth noting that unclean ducts waste energy and cost money owing to increased energy bills and the climate change levy. The Carbon Trust has stated that inefficient and dirty ventilation systems can increase energy consumption by up to 60%.
The implications for hospitals are even greater of course, because poor air quality here can be detrimental not only to staff and visitors, but can impair the healing process, exacerbate existing health problems and even increase the risk of HCAIs (healthcare associated infections).
Particles found in the air we breathe vary greatly in size. The greatest health hazard from particles comes from the smallest ones – less than 10 microns across – because we can easily inhale these small particles into our lungs. Studies in the US and Europe show a correlation between levels of particles in the air and morbidity rates. Furthermore, particles can also reduce the capacity to resist infection.
In addition, dust and debris found in un- cleaned ductwork, together with temperature
entilation ductwork by its nature isn’t necessarily the first thing one thinks
and humidity levels, have been linked to the risk of growth and spread of MRSA and other micro-organisms in hospitals. And clearly, however rigorous surface cleaning regimes may be, they will be futile if ‘bad air’ is constantly settling on them.
According to the National Healthcare Associated Infection Research Network, on average, patients with a HCAI have been found to be around seven times more likely to die in hospital than uninfected patients. It is estimated that as many as 5,000 patients die each year in the UK as a direct result of HCAIs and it is one of the factors in another 15,000 deaths. These infections are costing the NHS an estimated £1bn a year.
Regular inspection and cleaning of hospital ducts and filters is one simple but highly effective step hospitals can take as part of their procedures to combat cross infections. Indeed, under workplace (health, safety and welfare) regulations, building owners and managers have a legal obligation to ensure that enclosed workplaces are ventilated with fresh, purified air.
Mechanical systems must be cleaned, maintained and inspected regularly and records kept showing evidence that ductwork continues to meet regulations.
But while one would assume this is a standard procedure, it is likely that as much as 99% of the ducting systems in hospitals may not be properly cleaned. The Health and Safety Executive’s HSG 202, ‘General Ventilation in the Workplace: Guidance for Employers’ states: “As a general rule, if you run your finger along the opening of a duct and it collects dust, then it probably needs cleaning.”
Of course, to ensure clean air, ductwork must be cleaned thoroughly in its entirety, grilles and filters regularly checked and air quality monitored.
Air quality testing may involve: testing filtration effectiveness; surface and airborne microbial
sampling; measurements of temperature, relative humidity, CO & CO2
particulate, ozone or formaldehyde sampling.
The findings should be benchmarked against HSE standards; the resulting data will enable building management to meet their duties to provide COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and general risk assessments as required under health and safety legislation.
If ductwork cleaning is required as a result of air quality testing, the newly updated (second edition) Building and Engineering Services Association ‘Guide to Good Practice – Internal cleanliness of ventilation systems’ (TR/19) provides guidance on air quality and ventilation ducting pre clean testing methods.
In addition, it provides useful new classifications – ‘cleanliness quality classes’ – which set different benchmarks for the amount of soiling within a duct, based on the type and usage of that building or area. So, a store room or basement area of a building with low usage would be allowed higher levels of soiling than clinical areas within a hospital.
It’s essential that air quality duct cleaning is carried out by qualified duct cleaning specialists according to current industry standards as laid down by B&ES TR/19 and the BS EN 15780.
Ordinary cleaning companies may lack the expertise to clean systems to the necessary standards.
The message is clear: mechanical ventilation systems must be cleaned, maintained and inspected regularly. The cost of not doing so could be very high indeed, both in human terms and the financial burden on the NHS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION W:
http://www.b-es.org/
national health executive Sep/Oct 14 | 47 and airborne
Richard Norman
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