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.
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