Industry Standards

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ANSI and ASHRAE addresses humidity concerns

CHICAGO—The American National Standards Institute/American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/ASHE Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities Standing Committee has issued Addendum "d." The ASHRAE 170 Standing Committee has approved this addendum, which will become effective at the end of June 2010.

ASHRAE 170 has been incorporated into the 2010 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities. The publication of this addendum stresses the aspects of relative humidity in operating rooms in terms of clinical outcomes, comfort and engineering concepts.

For more information, see www.ashe.org

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ASTM develops standard on antimicrobial agents

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Penna.—A task group within Subcommittee D11.40 on Consumer Rubber Products has begun to develop standards focused on preventing that transfer through the use of antimicrobial agents on gloves. D11.40 is part of ASTM International Committee D11 on Rubber.

Wava Truscott, director, scientific affairs and clinical education, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, says that the task group is currently working on several proposed new standards, including WK27438, Specification for Antimicrobial Medical Gloves.

For more information, see www.astm.org

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FGI issues facilities guidelines

CONCORD, Calif.—Committee work will begin shortly on the Facilities Guidelines Institute’s (FGI) 2014 Edition of the Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities.

To help identify and provide comments for the long-term care chapters of the guidelines, The Center for Health Design (CHD) is forming a workgroup of industry experts. The project’s goals are to articulate the guidelines and identify needs for additional research

For more information, see www.healthdesign.org

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OMH issues product guidelines

ALBANY—The New York Office of Mental Health (OMH) has released the Third Edition of Introduction to the Physical Plant guidelines.

The purpose of these guidelines (PDF) is to provide a selection of materials, fixtures, and hardware that OMH has reviewed and supports for use within psychiatric inpatient units in order to further the agency's goal of reducing the risk of harm to individuals in inpatient settings. Use of these products is not mandatory. OMH would be pleased to evaluate other products identified by hospitals.

For more information, see www.omh.state.ny.us

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Joint Commission requests comments

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—The Joint Commission requests comments on any of its standards, to improve their value.

Value can be a subjective term so the Joint Commission recommends considering the following characteristics in assessing standards:

• Evidence-base
• Relationship to patient outcomes/clinical care
• Aids in achieving patient safety and quality of care
• Benefits that outweigh the costs
• Assists in quality and safety
  

For more information, see www.jointcommission.org

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