Healthcare owners and operators understand the gravity of their business. The wellness of patients, residents, and employees rests on their shoulders. The myriad of decisions each healthcare establishment makes can affect hundreds of people, especially in our pandemic-riddled world.
Policies like HTM 03-01 help healthcare operators understand the best ventilation procedures and setups for their buildings. Keep reading to learn about HTM 03-01 and the requirements for ventilation systems in healthcare buildings.
What is HTM 03-01?
HTM 03-01 Part A is a 134-page document that explains recommended, proper ventilation for healthcare facilities. HTM stands for Health Technical Memorandum. Thus, to comply with the memorandum and to keep your residents and patients safe, you need a system that complies with all of the specifications of HTM 03-01.
Two Parts
The memorandum has two parts, Part A design and validation and Part B for Maintenance. It begins with the design and installation of ventilation systems and moves onto operational management of ventilation systems.
The recommendations in HTM 03-01 lays out the minimum requirements for ventilation systems. The system should also have safe access so experts can inspect and maintain it, thus ensuring the system is fit for its original design.
Every healthcare facility has a ventilation system. Because lives are at stake, air quality experts should inspect these ventilation systems annually as an absolute minimum.
Better Care
Healthcare facilities also have specialized rooms that require critical ventilation systems. Operating rooms, critical care areas, neonatal units, isolation rooms, laboratories, scanning or imaging environments, and any sterile facility need specialized ventilation systems and should be fully validated for performance and condition annually.
Studies have proven that operation theatre quality and surgical site infections have a strong relationship. Thus, the quality of air a ventilation system produces in an operating room matters critically to the recovery of a patient.
Who is it for?
Both new installations and major refurbishments of current air ventilation systems are subject to HTM 03-01. Thus, if you own a healthcare facility in need of a refurbishment, you need to comply with the Healthcare Technical Memoranda.
Estates managers, operations managers, and healthcare management in general needs to pay special attention to the HTM guidance since it appears to be aimed directly at them. It applies to all types of healthcare premises.
Legislation and HTM 03-01
Healthcare systems use specific ventilation systems to either dilute or enclose dangerous substances. If a ventilation system doesn’t contain or dilute the harmful substance, it exposes patients and employees to major risks. Thus we have statutory requirements like HTM 03-01.
We also have the Health and Safety at Work Act. This act requires healthcare companies to maintain their ventilation systems, especially when the system controls recognized hazards. The control of an operating theatre is a prime example of such a recognized hazard.
In 2002 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health went into place.
When you have an experienced company maintaining your ventilation system, you do not have to worry about all of this complicated legislation.
What Managers Need to Check
Healthcare managers can ensure they’re complying with HTM03-01 by following this checklist.
- Make sure the ventilation system does what it was intended to do and is in good working order.
- Schedule an annual inspection where an expert can visually inspect the ventilation.
- Schedule a quarterly inspection where critical ventilation systems are checked out. The inspector should also inspect the system quarterly and verify it annually.
- Verify that the company who is inspecting, verifying, and maintaining your equipment is competent. Your inspector should be a CPV, or a Competent Person (Ventilation).
- Keep and maintain records of the operational management routine and commissioning information for a minimum of five years. A Health and Safety Executive can legally inspect your system at any time.
- Layout clear lines of responsibility regarding the ventilation system so your staff knows who is responsible for the maintenance and operation. Review the managing roles periodically.
- Designate people internally with the following roles: Authorised Person (Ventilation), Competent Person (Ventilation), and Authorising Engineer (Ventilation).
The Engineering Health Technical Memoranda or HTMs will help you when it’s time to replace your ventilation system or refurbish your current system. It says specifically how to design, install, and operate the system of a specialised building such as one used for healthcare.
Furthermore, the HTMs focuses on up-to-date established best practice as well as health-care specific policies and standards. You can use the guidance through all stages of the lifecycle of a building.
To comply with HTM 03-01, you need to appoint an experienced and knowledgeable company. At Ventilation Surveys and Services we provide the services that will keep your ductwork and ventilation system complaint.
Professional cleaners can clean your air with the right services. Ventilation Surveys & Services, for example, offer the following services.
Duct Cleaning and Air Ventilation System Service
- Duct cleaning that complies with BESA TR19 standards.
- Hospital ventilation system cleaning that complies with HTM03 01 standards
- Air Handling unit filtration, cleaning, and refurbishment
- Surveys and inspections for cleanliness
- Ventilation for Covid-19
Following services:
- Testing Indoor Air Quality
- Testing internal surface cleanliness levels that comply with BESA TR19 and BS EN 15780 industry standards
- Reports on AHU cleanliness and conditions
- A sampling of dust and Microbiological materials in ventilation surfaces
- Inspections of Fire Dampers as required by BS 9999:2017 – Annual requirement
Keeping People Healthy
The right ventilation service company will help you stay compliant and keep healthcare facilities clean and safe.
For all of your ventilation needs, contact us.
