How to get ICRA Certification: Safety in Healthcare and Construction

Taking your healthcare facility’s safety seriously isn’t just about meeting standards and staying compliant with industry regulations. As a facility manager, you are responsible for ensuring that your staff and contractors are equipped with the knowledge to navigate construction and renovation projects with the highest level of care. With an Infection Control Risk Assessment, or ICRA, certification, you’re not only prepared to meet compliance standards, but you’re also better able to care for your patients and staff with a solid plan. Safety makes a difference to everyone inside your facility, from patients and visitors to hospital admin and staff. Are you confident you’re as prepared for the high ICRA standards as possible? 

Your facility will be required to meet strict ICRA regulations anyway, so take advantage of your opportunity to equip your team with a complete education and certification in these safety standards. Today, we’re walking you through the need for ICRA compliance and breaking down the entire process of becoming an ICRA-certified healthcare facility. 

What is the Infection Control Risk Assessment?

Infection Control Risk Assessment, otherwise known as ICRA, is a systematic process that determines the level of risk to patients in a medical facility and lays out processes to reduce the resulting risks to air and water quality. These risks will vary depending on the type of construction project as well as the patient groups that will be impacted, and ICRA provides specific guidance for every situation.

ICRA Certification 101 

While all facilities are subject to ICRA compliance, your facility can go one step further in its pursuit of health and safety by becoming certified in ICRA. This certification provides an all-encompassing review of ICRA standards and processes, allowing your certified team members to guide the safety protocols during construction projects beyond simply meeting requirements. An ICRA certification helps your construction crews and medical staff navigate construction and renovation projects quickly, competently, and safely.

ICRA was developed to provide a framework and helpful guidelines to simplify the process of preparing a healthcare facility for safe construction and renovation projects. When your facility is ICRA-compliant, you’re safe from potential violations. However, when your team is ICRA-certified, you’re more than ready to take on safety regulations — you’re empowered to make safety-conscious decisions at every step. 

The Foundation of ICRA

In healthcare, construction projects vastly differ from residential or similar projects in different commercial spaces. With vulnerable patients nearby and often those with compromised immune systems, there is so much more at stake in a medical facility. The unavoidable dust and debris kicked up during any project can contaminate sterile environments, particularly when sub-par procedures at the job site allow contaminants trapped above ceilings, behind walls, or under floors to escape into patient areas.

Whether you’re renovating an existing space, completing routine maintenance, or building an addition to an occupied medical building, the work crews must share your same commitment to safety. With so many potential dangers, it’s important to know that everyone on your team is on the same page. By requiring ICRA certifications of your staff and hiring ICRA-certified carpenters, you support an overall commitment to patient and staff safety and make strides toward minimizing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

How to Become ICRA 2.0 Certified

Becoming ICRA-certified isn’t just a matter of attending one seminar. While there are many ways to earn your certification, the process often involves a thorough training course and diving deep into the nuances of medical settings. Typically, participants must retake a course or test every few years to maintain their credentials. Whether you select an in-person program or an online class, you can expect to explore various health and safety applications and the impact of a great safety plan. Make sure that, whichever program you choose, you pick an ICRA 2.0 program for the most updated information. 

This training isn't only about the theoretical, “textbook” risks; it dives deep into real-world implications. For instance, a seemingly minor construction mistake could accidentally allow contaminated air into areas that should have the highest levels of sterility, like operating rooms or NICU areas. Hospitals, medical centers, and patients visiting them are much more susceptible to the spread of disease and airborne contaminants resulting from construction projects. When you invest in ICRA certification training, you’re helping your facility get ahead of these issues before they become a danger.

ICRA-conscious Construction

Awareness and commitment to ICRA guidelines can and should entirely reframe the approach that medical centers have to construction or renovation. While the construction activities may be the driving force in other settings — building a home, renovating a retail store, etc. — this cannot be the case where vulnerable patients are at every turn. What does this patient focus look like practically? It could mean adjusting timelines to accommodate surgery schedules, limiting noise pollution that may interfere with patient rest, or relocating when necessary to accommodate travel between areas in your facility when needed. Similarly, this means ensuring that dust and debris from construction are controlled as much as possible and don’t permeate patient care areas. When compromises must be made, ICRA guidelines dictate that patient needs should be prioritized nearly every time. 

A commitment to ICRA guidelines goes further than normal processes. When the unexpected happens, certified team members can help your facility navigate challenging situations where patient and staff safety may be at risk. 

For example… 

• How does moving from one construction task to another impact the needed health and safety measures? 
• Are you prepared for an unexpected power outage? How will you ensure safety for construction teams and patients, and staff through it? 
• In the case of an emergency, how will traffic flow and the movement of dust and debris be impacted? How can risks be mitigated in that situation if it should happen? 

Beyond a focus on patients at a high level, your entire team must be well-versed in ICRA practices and requirements to prioritize sensitive patient groups through day-to-day processes. From breaking ground to completion day, every activity must be patient-centric, and ICRA-certified project managers and contractors will help drive this commitment daily. 

Construction Best Practices with ICRA 2.0

Embracing Tech in Construction

Modern construction tools, especially those designed with air quality and healthcare in mind, can dramatically improve your facility’s patient and staff experience. Investing in these advanced technologies can significantly minimize disruptions and reduce pathogen transmission risk during construction projects in an occupied healthcare setting. From medical-grade air filtration systems to patient isolation rooms and more, new technology and innovative tools set your facility up for success in meeting ICRA standards and maximizing health and safety.

Formulating Detailed Safety Protocols

Clear, actionable plans for various construction scenarios ensure that your facility reinforces ICRA guidelines no matter what happens during your project. With certified ICRA contractors, these protocols are more likely to support ICRA standards. As an added benefit, certified contractors can act as an extra set of eyes to point out any missteps in ICRA compliance and help to get ahead of any issues before they impact patients or staff negatively. 

Continuous Learning

The medical world is dynamic, and we’re constantly learning new ways to handle potential dangers and manage patient safety safely. As new research and developments in infection control emerge, ICRA-certified professionals must stay updated and ready to combat any new risks. Essentially, it’s great to get yourself and your teams certified. Still, the ideal situation is to maintain that certification yearly to equip your facility with the most up-to-date information. 

Regular Site Audits

As with any goal, monitoring how you’re doing is vital to make necessary adjustments. Consistent check-ins by ICRA experts ensure that ICRA compliance is maintained throughout the construction lifecycle. You can protect your patients and staff by identifying potential risks before they become a real danger. 

A Safer Hospital Starts with ICRA Certification

Earning an ICRA certification for your healthcare facility is more than just ticking a box. It shows you care deeply about keeping everyone safe, from patients to staff, during construction or renovations. 

As you plan to update or expand your facility, remember that ICRA certification is more than just having a badge. It's about creating a safe, caring, and forward-thinking hospital environment. Don’t just take our word for it — explore the benefits of ICRA for yourself in our downloadable Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) Matrix and see exactly what’s expected of hospitals undergoing construction work. Get started creating a safer medical facility today with the power of ICRA.