"Without high-quality ventilation, patients, health-care workers and visitors can become infected through normal respiration of particles in the air," Richard Hermans, P.E., chair of the committee writing the standard, said. "Poorly ventilated health-care facilities are places where the likelihood of pathogenic particles occurring in the air is quite high. Because such pathogens can be found everywhere in health-care facilities and because patients are susceptible to them, additional care should be taken in the design of ventilation systems."
The proposed standard will define requirements for ventilation system design intended to provide environmental control for comfort, as well as infection and odor control.
It addresses systems and equipment, space ventilation for a variety of areas in health care facilities, including airborne infection isolation rooms, critical care units, burn units, surgery rooms, and Class B and C operating rooms, and planning, construction and system startup.
Drafts of ASHRAE's proposed standards and guidelines are available only during their related public review periods. To obtain electronic draft versions of the Standard 170P during the comment periods, go to the ASHRAE Web site.
