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The HEPACART Blog

Infection Control Directors Focus on Ceiling Access Regulations

The list of different procedures and best practices that an infection control director needs to commit to memory is practically endless. Indeed, they seem to be constantly changing and shifting, subject to outside pressures as well as new research. The same can be said of ceiling access regulations, which are quite stringent and also can be difficult to keep straight. In this post, we'll outline the prevailing wisdom for ceiling access regulations as well as how getting familiar with these regulations can actually help you do your job as an infection control specialist.

Developing Facility Policies

Any healthcare facility must have strict infection control policies in place, which the infection control director must not only follow but also help to shape. By familiarizing yourself with ceiling access regulations, you can ensure that your infection control policies and protocols are aligned with the prevailing regulations. For instance, policies may dictate how to contain a quarantined room, but what is the policy for performing maintenance in that room? What if there is a maintenance need that requires ceiling access while a patient is present? These types of questions are important for infection control directors to consider when developing policies.

Hiring Facility Contractors

While the infection control director may not be the first person who is called upon to hire construction or maintenance contractors at a healthcare facility, he or she must be involved in the process. Any project that will stir up dust and debris must be closely monitored in the name of infection control. Ceiling access is a key part of many of these projects, with maintenance contractors often needing to access systems that sit above a facility's ceiling tiles. When you look at the ICRA matrix, the importance of ceiling access is evident, including how many ceiling tiles can be moved during the course of a project and what ventilation precautions must be taken. When hiring a contractor, an infection control director must ensure that those contractors have a plan in place to deal with ceiling access regulations.

Education

Though every member of the staff at a healthcare facility should be keeping infection control top of mind, it is the infection control director's job to keep those staff members educated about all aspects of infection control regulations, including ceiling access. The more familiar an infection control director is with those essential regulations, the better they can train staff to look for breaches of protocol and potential ceiling access hazards.

For more information on what ceiling access regulations mean for your facility, be sure to download our guide to ceiling access regulations.Download Now

 
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