Air Ventilation – Legislation

“The internal cleanliness of ventilation systems is considered important for human comfort and health, energy consumption, system service life and for cleanliness of operations or processes carried out in the ventilated areas. Where this ventilation is provided by mechanical means the regulations require those mechanical ventilation systems to be maintained (including cleaned as appropriate) in efficient working order. Failure to carry out these duties is a breach of regulations. “ BESA 2013

“Effective and suitable provision shall be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air remains intact. The association of Approved code of Practice gives ‘practical advice on how to comply with the law’. For ventilation, it states in ACOP6 (52); Regulation 6, that mechanical ventilation systems (including air-conditioning systems) should be regularly and adequately cleaned. They should also be properly tested and maintained to ensure that they are kept clean and free from anything which contaminate the air.”

Statutory requirements:

“Increased health risks to patients will occur if ventilation systems do not achieve and maintain the required standards. The link between surgical site infection and theatre air quality has been well established. Plants serving a conventional operating department, for instance, will be required to ensure the separation of areas within the suite by maintaining a specific direction of air flow between rooms, even when doors are opened. They will also maintain the selected operating department’s environmental conditions regardless of changes in outside air conditions or activities within the space.

In addition, ultra-clean ventilation systems (which are designed to provide a zone around the patient that is effectively free of bacteria-carrying airborne particles while the operation is in progress) have been shown to significantly reduce surgical site infection in patients undergoing large joint replacement surgery. Their use for other forms of surgery may well be indicated.”

“This European Standard applies to both new and existing ventilation and air conditioning systems and specifies the assessment criteria of cleanliness, cleaning procedures of these systems, and the validation of the effectiveness of cleaning applies also to products, which conforms to EN 1505,
EN 1506, EN 13053, EN 13180 and EN 13403, used in air conditioning and ventilation systems for human occupancy defined in the scope of CEN/TC 156.”

Cleanliness of ventilation systems is considered important for human comfort and health, energy consumption, system service life and for cleanliness of operations or processes carried out in the ventilated area.