The Most Important Supplies For Any Cleanroom Environment
When operating a cleanroom in your hospital or medical center, maintaining a sterile environment with high quality medical equipment is of the utmost importance. A proper clean room is not only designed to keep out any sort of contamination, but is also operated by professionals trained in proper clean room procedures, using approved cleanroom supplies. In this article we’ll detail some of the more important aspects of cleanroom design and supplies to have on hand for your cleanroom as well as the people who will be using the cleanroom.
General Cleanroom Design & Engineering
Depending on the need for your cleanroom, your design and engineering may have different specs and requirements, however there are several features that you will find in just about any properly built cleanroom environment. First, proper air filtration is crucial in ensuring that no dust particles, germs, bacteria or other contaminants may enter through a central air system. Cleanrooms should have at least one additional level of filtration in place, but it is not atypical for there to be multiple levels of filtration. Another feature that can be found in many clean rooms is some form of Airlock, which ensures that any contaminants that may be present in the air cannot enter the cleanroom as people enter and exit. It’s also important that there are as few porous materials in the room as possible, especially in regards to touch points, or points that a person may come in contact with. While any given cleanroom may have more features to improve sterilization, these are some of the basics that can be found in any cleanroom environment.
Cleanroom Apparel & Dressing Gowns
Cleanroom apparel includes but is not limited to gowns, face masks, sterile gloves, head covers, coveralls, boot and shoe covers and much more. Depending on the intended use for the cleanroom and the patient or patients that may be in it, the people operating the cleanroom may need some or all of these items, if not additional clean room apparel. It’s crucial that your hospital or medical center not only invest in high quality cleanroom apparel, but also that there is a steady inventory of this apparel so that there is never an opportunity where your staff may be without these essential supplies. A good rule of thumb for maintaining these supplies is that as soon as the last box or package is opened, you should immediately restock your inventory. In addition to ensuring you have adequate cleanroom apparel on hand, it’s also important that your cleanroom staff is properly trained in proper preparation, usage and employment of these cleanroom supplies including understanding proper pre-gowning techniques.
Cleanroom Cleaners & Wipes
Proper cleanroom wipes are one of the most essential supplies for any cleanroom environment. Sterile cleanroom wipes are necessary for the sterilization of a cleanroom prior to patients entering, after patients leave, as well as throughout the time that the cleanroom is being used by the patient. Cleanroom wipes can be made out of a number of materials, but typically they will be lint-free, non-woven, or foam based and will almost always be pre-saturated with a sterile cleaning solution.
In addition to cleanroom wipes, it’s also very important to have a constant supply of cleanroom cleaner and disinfectant products. These products are typically stored in spray bottles for ease of use and will be antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and will always need to be “cleanroom grade”. Depending on the exact need for the cleanroom, there are a number of different levels and grades of cleaner products, but it’s typical that all of these products will contain isopropyl alcohol in some measure. Just like cleanroom apparel, it’s also good to have a proper inventory procedure in place so that your hospital or medical center is never without these products.
Cleanroom Tacky Mats
Another item you will find in just about any cleanroom are cleanroom tacky mats or sticky mats. Cleanroom mats are typically placed at the entrance points to a cleanroom so that any particles or contaminants that may be attached to the bottom of a shoe or boot, are safely removed prior to entering the cleanroom environment. Cleanroom mats come in a variety of sizes, but a good rule of thumb is to cover more space than you think you would need to ensure that several steps an be taken on the mat and that no unwanted material can be brought in to your cleanroom. Typically, using these mats prior to entrance will be a part of any cleanroom protocol, and it’s also important that a proper procedure is in place for the regular changing out of these mats to ensure that contaminants and bacteria do not build up on them.
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