Renovation in hospitals: a case study on the use of control cubes for local repairs in health-care facilities

Abstract

<jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the control cubes for dust control in health-care facilities. Research shows that more than 80% of pathogenic agents in hospitals are spread into the air, where they either remain airborne or deposit on the surface. At the same time, renovation and repair activities, including regular maintenance, are a necessity in active health-care facilities and a multitude of studies have documented their impact on indoor air quality. The dust that is generated by construction activities may potentially carry pathogenic agents, varying from coarse particles (≤10 µm, PM10) to fine particles (≤2.5 µm, PM2.5), including airborne bacteria, and fungal spores linked to high patient mortality in immune-compromised patients.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>This study measures the impact and effectiveness of one such preventative measure, namely, the control cube (CC), on air quality during renovation and repair. CC is a temporary structure, typically made from stainless steel, around the local repair zone to minimize the spread of dust and potential microorganisms. The current paper presents a comparative analysis to identify the effectiveness of a CC equipped with the high-efficiency particulate filtration (HEPA) filter in a hospital setting by simulating construction renovation and repair work.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>A baseline was established to measure the effectiveness of CCs and the impact of negative pressure on the indoor air quality in a hospital during simulated renovation work. Results showed that CCs are very effective in minimizing the spread of dust due to construction activities in the hospital. However, it is imperative to ensure that the air inside the CC is cleaned via filtration.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>CCs are very effective, and this paper investigates the best approach for facility managers to implement this strategy.</jats:p> </jats:sec>

Reducing the Risk of Healthcare Associated Infections from Legionella and Other Waterborne Pathogens Using a Water Management for Construction (WMC) Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) Tool

“…After ICRAs for airborne pathogens were introduced into the construction process, the construction materials industry responded with innovative control techniques for dust particles [ 8 ]. Today general contractors and air ventilation subcontractors routinely purchase products for dust control (e.g., sticky mats, mobile air machines with filtration, dehumidifiers, flood kits, temporary wall barriers, environmental containment units, and containment tape and sealants, among numerous other products) [ 6 , 40 ]. These products were invented for the primary purpose of protecting patients from exposure to airborne particulate matter.…”

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in a naval ship after refit program: a time variation analysis

“…The refurbishment activity during the refitting program had caused the resuspension of the microorganisms in the air and explained the exceeding CFU for the bacteria and fungi during the first assessment. Mousavi et al (2020) found that renovation and refurbishment activities increase the resuspension of PM as well as microorganisms since PM can be a potential carrier for the microorganisms [18]. High CFU count of microbial is related to the high concentration of PM [19][20].…”