VENTILATION
CIAT says: “There are a number of reasons that specifications for hospital ventilation systems are significantly more stringent than for typical commercial buildings.”
The HTM also introduces a standard method of identifying and labelling a ventilation system, and the creation of an inventory of installed systems. Guidance is provided on lifecycle, and updating a physical system in mid-life. Plant design information for specific healthcare applications has also been revised, with airflow rates that are more tailored to the applications to take advantage of new fan and control technology. The new technology should reduce energy consumption. Revised air quality and filter standards
are provided for new and emerging technologies. More detailed information is also included on the commissioning process, installation standards, and the appointment of an independent validator. Validation acceptance standards and methodology have also been revised, along with routine inspection and maintenance guidance. Improving health and safety is another
key driver of the updated guidance. While the updates were completed before the emergence of COVID-19, the authors point out that the guidance takes account of all known transmission evidence available at the time of publication. In this context, it states that ventilation
The up-to-date guidance in HTM-03-01 provides an excellent head-start and reference for HVAC professionals and Estates managers responsible for hospital ventilation, CIAT says.
is firmly established as one of the principal mitigations against the virus, and should be part of a package of infection prevention and control measures. The authors conclude that the recommended ventilation rates proposed ‘are likely to provide a lower risk environment for COVID-19 airborne transmission’.
Safety and welfare of maintenance staff The safety and welfare of maintenance staff attending to hospital ventilation is also addressed – with a requirement to provide covered access for staff while servicing air-handling units located externally on a rooftop or on the ground. This is to ensure that staff are protected, and that equipment is shielded from possible water ingress while access panels are removed during maintenance. To minimise the risk of Legionella and other sources of contamination, effective management of condensate water remains a key consideration. In compliance with the requirements, drain pipework on CIAT air- handling units for hospitals is fitted with special borosilicate glass, enabling service technicians to quickly see any build-up of deposits. The detailed, up-to-date guidance contained in HTM-03-01 provides
CIAT says BluEdge ‘gives healthcare facilities the confidence that they are covered by a team that digitally monitors and delivers expert service throughout the lifecycle of their solutions’.
an excellent head-start and reference for HVAC professionals and Estate managers responsible for hospital ventilation. It addresses the complex needs of all stakeholders – patients, staff, and visitors, as well as the technicians who install and service equipment. The guidance balances the specific needs of each stakeholder with the requirement to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. HTM 03-01 states that clear lines of managerial responsibility should be in place so that there is no doubt who is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the equipment. It suggests that a periodic review of management systems should take place to make sure that the standards are being maintained. People who are required to inspect,
verify, or maintain ventilation equipment – such as management (duty-holder), designated person, Authorising Engineer, Authorised Person, Competent Person, Infection Prevention and Control person – will need to show that they are competent to do so, and can recognise any faults. The management of the ventilation
systems of a healthcare provider should be overseen by the Ventilation Safety Group (VSG), which should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. The VSG must create a ventilation policy document, which may simply stipulate that the healthcare provider will follow the guidance contained in HTM 03-01 as appropriate. Suitable safety equipment and training, and how to use it, should be provided by staff carrying out routine inspection and maintenance procedures, overseen by the VSG.
Annual visual inspection requirement In order to comply with Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations and Building Regulations,3
it is essential that all
ventilation systems must be – at the very minimum – visually inspected annually. An annual inspection ensures that the system is still required, the plant conforms to the minimum standard, the fire contaminant has not been breached, the general
January 2024 Health Estate Journal 53
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