Air Quality Control During Renovation in Health Care Facilities PDF

During renovation in occupied buildings, particularly health care facilities, special care must be exercised to isolate the renovation area from occupied spaces. A multiphased renovation within a 28,000 ft² operating room suite was planned to ensure patient safety and environmental air quality while maintaining 24-hour availability of the suite throughout the expected two-year length of the project. Infection control issues were identified early in the project, and several infection control measures were defined: maintaining the integrity of barrier walls, controlling dust and construction traffic, daily housekeeping, environmental monitoring, and multiple authority for stop-work orders. Environmental monitoring included sampling for culturable fungi, total fungi, and particle count/size data. In summary, careful planning, effective barriers, ongoing environmental monitoring, and adherence to approved work practices can ensure good air quality for the health and well-being of patients during renovation.

Paper from IAQ 1997 -- Design, Construction, and Operation of Healthy Buildings: Solutions to Global and Regional Concerns