HOSPITAL VENTILATION JOHN COUSINS – NAADUK AUDITING TEAM, UK
Importance of hospital ventilation assessments
John Cousins of the National Association of Air Duct Specialists UK (NAADUK) explains the importance of assessing all ventilation systems in the hospital environment.
Ventilation hygiene and air quality are at the forefront of the public mindset, as a result of the increased awareness of the environment we find ourselves in. Air conveyance systems are often used in the hospital and clinical environment for distributing filtered air to specific areas and extracting stale air to create the relevant air changes within hospitals. The inspection, cleaning, and
maintenance of ductwork is an important part of building facility requirements. Awareness of the essential requirement to undertake inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of ventilation systems, in order to prevent the build-up of grease and dust in ducts and therefore prevent fires, is paramount. Building owners have a responsibility to the occupants of the building to ensure that a competent accredited company conducts regular inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of ductwork under HSE 1992 Rev 2013.
Why is ventilation maintenance important? As with all areas of the hospital environment, sterilisation and cleanliness are of the utmost importance. It is critical that hospital ventilation is considered as part of the testing, inspection, and maintenance regimes. Ventilation hygiene is there for the betterment of the environment and to reduce the risk of fire spreading within any building, and there are many guideline publications to assist in meeting the required standards.
When should these systems be inspected? Inspection frequencies are clearly defined within HTM-03 Chapter 1 and state the following: ‘All ventilation systems should be
subject to, at least, a simple visual inspection annually. Ventilation systems serving critical care areas should be inspected quarterly and their performance measured and verified annually. The quarterly inspection should be a simple visual check; the annual
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Table 1. Quick check guide as to frequency of inspection and testing. Low
Medium AHU Filters
Humidifiers Ductwork
Air Terminal Devices
24 months 12 months 12 months 48 months 48 months
12 months 12 months 6 months 24 months 24 months
High
12 months 6 months 6 months 12 months 12 months
Taken from BS EN 1S780:2011
verification will be a more detailed inspection of the system together with the measurement of its actual performance.’
It is the air that we breathe, so it must be clean and healthy, right? Wrong! Many circumstances, from poor
hygiene standards, poor maintenance, or even non- maintenance, could lead to the growth of potentially harmful organisms and, in some cases, pathogens. This also increases the risk of the spread of fires, and under Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is the responsible person’s duty to identify and control risks. Any ventilation system should be included in a ventilation assessment, identifying risk, hazards, and control measures to ensure protection and the prevention of contamination and fire risk. Ventilation hygiene within the clinical setting has been neglected for many years and the recent pandemic has highlighted shortfalls in the testing, inspection, and maintenance regimes.
Here at NAADUK, we have identified the importance of ventilation hygiene in the hospital environment as persons could potentially have the following conditions: l Weakened immune systems. l Risk of secondary infections. l Breathing difficulties. l Incapacitated persons at risk during the spread of fire.
People suffering from these conditions are at greater risk and it is the duty of the responsible persons to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of these people (see Table 1).
Who should be conducting the testing, inspection, and cleaning? We have been collaborating with a number of organisations and associations within the sector to improve the standards of maintenance, which resulted in the publication of NAAD21. With the collaboration of training instructors and assessors, a ventilation risk assessments in existing buildings
John Cousins
John Cousins is part of the NAADUK auditing team, currently sitting on several committees within the BSi. John focuses his efforts on compliance and improving the standards across the industry. NAADUK is recognised as a leader in ventilation
hygiene compliance and John contributes time and energy to assist NAADUK and its members. John is highly focused on helping companies, individuals, and building users understand the legislation and to push for compliant safe premises for people to work, live, and enjoy.
IFHE DIGEST 2024
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