In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about the path of egress through a construction area.
Q: Are there any problems with maintaining an emergency exit for a hospital operating room (OR) area that travels through an adjacent construction project? And can these doors be taped or sealed with a tape/barrier to limit construction dust?
A: With regard to your first question, what would your infection control (IC) practitioner say about exiting OR patients (who could possibly have open incisions) into and through a construction area? I’m sure that the IC person would have a fit about that. No, you can’t exit OR patients into and through a construction area. A construction area is typically a dirty, hazardous area depending on the level of demolition and construction.
Cleanliness Is a Measurable Outcome
Workplace Safety and the Role of Access Control
Henry Ford Hospital Celebrates Construction Milestone for Expansion Project
How EVS Leaders Can Support Staff for Better Cleaning
Addressing Infection Prevention Staffing Gaps in Ambulatory and Procedural Care