Hospitals and contractors invest in ceiling access and infection control carts for a good reason: to protect patients and visitors to high-risk areas from the dust and pathogens that can easily spread when construction and renovation in ceiling access projects are taking place. But in order to do that, the cart must actually contain the dust and debris it is designed to maintain and filter the air to the HEPA standard. There is only one way to make sure that is actually happening, and that is to run comprehensive tests on those carts as an assembly before they are introduced into a healthcare environment.
The Importance of Testing
Testing all ceiling access cart equipment that goes to market is not the easy way out. It requires time, diligence, and manpower and it is the only way to guarantee that a filtration system actually works as it is supposed to.
All HEPACART™products go through a series of rigorous tests before they are ever available for sale. The testing process includes a thorough inspection of all components of the cart, from its wheels to its fully extended enclosure. The essential tests we conduct include:
- HEPA Quality Air Certification and Filter-Leak Test. Is the unit filtering at 99.97% at .3 microns or better?
- Air-flow measurement testing. Can the unit generate enough air changes per hour and differential pressure to provide a safe working enclosure?
- Smoke testing. With filtration unit on, does the cart leak or push via fan turbulence smoke out of the cart into the environment?
- Noise decibel test. How many decibels are generated by the filtration unit. Note where this test is conducted (inside/outside and at what height and distance).
- Quality control test. Does the manufacturer have a accountability measures for quality control for each cart?
- Electrical grounding test. Will the cart be grounded when plugged into a standard outlet?
Every HEPACART™comes with a certificate of compliance indicating that they have passed each item on our quality control checklist.
It is easy to believe that any product containing HEPA filtration must meet certain quality standards due to HEPA filter testing, but that is simply not the case. While it is true that all filters bearing the HEPA distinction must undergo testing, these filters are only as effective as their installation. If there are leaks or cracks around the perimeter of the filter, containment becomes a much less certain result.
The Results are Visible
It does not require sophisticated testing equipment to see these dismal and frightening results. One simple test you can implement is to place a standard smoke signal in the unit, turn on the air-filtration and seal the door. If it fails, it will take less than a minute before smoke begins to seep out of the unit in several areas. In some cases, as engineered, the turbulence of the fan in filtration actually pushes air out of the cart. This poor design is more than inconvenient, it can pose a real threat to healthcare environments. If these carts were put into action in an environment where infection control is critical, it is easy to see what kind of pathogens could leak or be expelled out of the unit.
We have conducted these tests on other units from other manufacturers. Some are well built and designed but some are either poorly designed OR poorly maintained.
Untested = Unproven
Patient safety is certainly important, but this type of design flaw in your ceiling access cart can cause damage in other ways as well. An improperly contained project can lead to fines if you are in violation of regulations as well as damage to a healthcare facility or contractor's reputation, which in turn can lead to lost revenue. You are putting a lot at risk when your equipment is not tested.
When ceiling access cart and filtration device manufacturers do not adhere to quality control standards, you cannot be sure that they actually do what they say they do. HEPA filter testing is simply not enough. Before you buy any ceiling access cart, be sure to do your investigation into their testing practices because otherwise you will not know what you're getting.
