The second of two articles from Australia in this month’s HEJ considers some of the key steps to take following incidents of water ingress to a healthcare facility.
In an article that first appeared in The Australian Hospital Engineer, Jeremy Stamkos, principal indoor environmental consultant for Eronmor, a specialist indoor air quality consultancy, advises on some of the key steps that hospitals and other healthcare facilities should take following ‘water ingress events’ – to both protect property from damage, and safeguard the health of patients, visitors, and staff. The key, he stresses, is to act quickly and, where necessary, to harness specialist external expertise.
Common water ingress events that occur in hospitals can include bathroom overflow, air-conditioning condensate drain blockages, general leaks from plumbing, and storm water ingress. The likelihood or frequency of water ingress events or flooding can depend on the many factors, including the building’s age, design, and construction, as well as environmental factors such as geographical location and climatic region.
The typical floorcoverings in most hospital ward areas mean that minor water ingress events can be cleaned up in a few minutes by the staff, but when an entire section of a building is flooded, the clean-up process may require specialist drying or restoration contractors.
Log in or register FREE to read the rest
This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text.
If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
