Health Care Services
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Infection Control Risk Assessment
AET's staff professionals utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to develop, implement, and verify the effectiveness of infection control measures during construction, renovations, maintenance, demolition and repairs in health care facilities. AET's experienced-based recommendations and proven solutions adhere to the CDC, JCAHO and HICPAC guidelines and are designed to control inadvertent exposures to dust and water aerosols including environmental pathogens such as dust mites, mold spores, and bacteria which can adversely effect patient outcomes and cause illness among health-care workers.
AETs proactive preventive measures include:
- Administrative controls such as relocation of immunocompromised patients and other high-risk patients.
- Ventilation controls pertaining to the operation and isolation of the HVAC system servicing both the work zones, corridor areas and adjacent patient areas.
- Engineering controls including construction of dust tight construction barriers and establishment of negative pressure within the work zone to control noise and dust from construction, repair, maintenance and/or traffic.
- Emergency control and procedures in the event of loss of electricity or ventilation.
- Training of both the construction workers and health-care staff.
Daily project management activities during work include visual inspection of critical barriers, ventilation pressure verification, control of worker entry/exit, control of waste egress and direct reading particle counter measurements. AET personnel are trained and experienced to make critical decisions concerning health and safety.
Other Time-Tested Healthcare Services
- Emergency Response (water leaks, sewage spills, etc.): Established policies, prompt management, and expert decision-making enable hospital operations to recover from these catastrophic events in the shortest possible time frame.
- Ventilation Standards: Specialized care environments such as airborne infection isolation rooms, operating rooms, emergency departments, and intensive care units mandate air handling systems that have significant air changes per hour and establish required room pressurization. Maintenance and troubleshooting of air handling systems is the key to good indoor air quality and system performance.
- Laboratory Fume Hood and Biosafety Cabinet Testing: AET performs initial and periodic performance tests of installed fume hoods per ASHRAE 110.1995. Biosafety cabinets are tested, certified and tagged in accordance with NSF Standard 49-2002.
- Chemical Use, Storage and Disposal including Lab Pack Services: AET's CIH staff evaluates safe chemical handling procedures, work practices including personal protective equipment and engineering control use. Example chemicals include formaldehyde, gluteraldehyde, xylene, alcohol, ethelyne oxide and onocology chemicals.
- Anesthetic Gas Testing: Services include anesthetic gas leak detection as part of quality assurance (semi-annual or annual audits) to comply with JCAHO, OSHA, and NFPA requirements. Gases include nitrous oxide and halogenated gases (halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, etc.).
- Mold and Bacteria Testing: AET's CIH Staff can evaluate for MRSA. Testing can also be performed for legionella which can be found in hot water systems and cooling towers.
To view representative AET project profiles, click here
Comprehensive documentation is maintained.
All reports are prepared by our expert CIH staff.
