Fluke 983 Fluke Airborne Particle Counters Provide Vital Information for Maint - Page 3

Sources of IAQ Problems AII and PE facilities provide a framework for limiting the spread of infectious agents, but they are not foolproof. Building design, inconsistent or inadequate operating procedures, poor maintenance and facilities construction and renovation projects all have the potential to cause problems. And in any case, protective facilities are not used for all patients. Even the best air filtration and airflow design can be defeated by inadequate maintenance or incorrect operation. A slipping fan belt on a ventilation supply fan, for instance, could alter the air balance in a protective environment facility, allowing particle-laden air from the hallway outside to flow in. Failure to correctly seal off and ventilate a construction area can send a cloud of construction dust and Aspergillus spores into areas where patients are housed. Failure to fix a leaking sink can turn the cabinet below into a nursery for potentially hazardous mold. Andrew Streifel, MPH, hospital environment specialist at the University of Minnesota, recalls what happened when costconscious hospital administrators turned off the fan ventilating the space over a dropped ceiling in an intensive care area. "That allowed humidity to stagnate," he says. "When humidity reached extremely high levels in the Minnesota summer, it started raining in the ICU. The water was coming through the ceiling grid and dripping on the patients. They stopped using four or five of the intensive care rooms, and diverted patients." The larger concern, Streifel continues, was the possibility that the high humidity would permit mold growth. Raising the room temperature above the dewpoint provided a temporary fix, and stopped the "rain."iii Building construction and renovation can pose particular challenges. Disruption to the building's envelope, generation of large amounts of construction dust and debris and the movement of workers and equipment in and out of containment zones all present contamination threats beyond the norm for a healthcare facility. According to the CDC, "a recent aspergillosis outbreak among oncology patients was attributed to depressurization of the building housing the HSCT unit while construction was underway in an adjacent building. Unfiltered outdoor air flowed into the building through doors and windows, exposing patients in the HSCT unit to fungal spores.iv 3 Fluke Corporation Airborne particle counters provide vital information for maintaining indoor air quality in healthcare facilities