Operating Room Temperature And Humidity Requirements

Operating rooms have visual alerts in a central location when the or air temperature or humidity is out of the parameter range but these alerts are on.

Operating room temperature and humidity requirements.

Operating rooms special procedure rooms isolation rooms sterile supply rooms etc the ventilation system must provide appropriate temperature humidity air pressure relationships and etc based on the edition of the fgi guidelines used at the time. For example if a room is 68 f with 60 relative humidity within parameter range and you drop the temperature to 64 f the relative humidity will rise to 68 out of parameter range. The design requirements for these parameters in healhtcare settings are defined by ashrae standard 170 and are generally straightforward however or operating room users often try to operate or hvac heating ventilating and air conditioning systems at temperatures and humidity levels. Proper ventilation humidity 68 and temperature control in the operating room is important for the comfort of surgical personnel and patients but also in preventing environmental conditions that encourage growth and transmission of microorganisms.

355 operating rooms should be maintained at positive pressure with respect to corridors and. Acceptable standards such as from the association of operating room nurses aorn or the facilities guidelines institute. What are the recommended humidity ranges for an operating room. While published guidelines are applicable to all.

To acutely decrease the rh level of an operating room one can either remove water vapor or increase temperature it is unlikely that one would increase the atmospheric pressure. Humidity and temperature from a single or over 2 months. Cold operating rooms have a higher rh than do warm operating rooms with the same absolute humidity figure 1. Currently ashrae ashe standard 170 2017 ventilation of health care facilities defines the minimum relative humidity rh level for an operating room as 20 and the maximum level as 60.

Share this advisory with your chief operating. For joint commission their standard ec 02 05 01 ep 15 says in critical care areas i e. Percent or less as excessive humidity is conducive to microbial growth and compromises the integrity of wrapped sterile instruments and supplies. Proper ventilation airflow temperature and humidity are needed for successful surgical operations.

Do i need to close the or if the temperature or humidity are out of range. Many supplies can be used outside of the minimum humidity requirements but should not be stored for long periods in low humidity conditions. Health care facilities should consider the effects on equipment and or supplies before reducing operating room relative humidity below 30 percent. Access to this content requires a subscription.