The 2014 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities are undergoing final reviews and will be available January 2014.Recently, the topic of preventing infection through design, material selection and modified building practices has been of...

An Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) is an essential step in limiting the acquisition and transmission of infections in a healthcare environment. According to The Joint Commission, an ICRA needs to be conducted when significant changes in the environment, community or patient...

The first step in determining whether there are industrial hygiene risks in your workplace is to have an experienced industrial hygienist conduct a qualitative risk assessment. They will take into account everything from the building ventilation to the workflow and products...

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “indoor air quality describes how inside air can affect a person’s health, comfort, and ability to work.” One of the best ways to measure Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is air sampling. To have good IAQ the indoor...

What is MRSA Infection?Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is caused by an antibiotic-resistant strain of staph. This most common type of this infection is known as healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), which can be contracted in hospitals and other...

What is OSHA’s Occupational Noise Standard?OSHA regulations stipulate that if “any employee’s exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a noise monitoring program.”What are some signs that your workplace has...

Many building owners have turned to renovation as a budget-friendly alternative to new construction. Starting renovations on an existing structure, however, means that asbestos regulations need to be taken into special consideration. One of the most common misconceptions building...

ASHRAE‘s proposed standard 188P for the Prevention of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems, went through its third and final public review this spring and is likely to become an official ASHRAE standard soon. What will the shift from guideline to standard mean for...

Noise-induced hearing loss is the most common occupational hazard for American workers, and yet many of us are not very concerned about the effect noise can have on our hearing. We assume that we will only lose our hearing if we are exposed to extremely loud noises over a long period...

In today’s healthcare reality, there is improved sanitation and public health, greater access to preventative care and vaccinations, and increased life expectancy for patients. New technology and more intensive care units also mean that healthcare facilities are able to treat...