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Dear List Members,
Does anyone have guidelines for managing high humidity events in CSSD
sterile store areas?We have found that there seems to be have been an increased number of
extreme heat and humidity weather events experienced in Victoria over the
last two summers causing issues in sterile store areas and operating
rooms in some of our health services.There seems to be a lack of clear advice on what to do should the readings
exceed the acceptable humidity levels in healthcare sterile storage areas.
How long can items be exposed to humidity levels outside the recommended
range and at what point should action be taken? That is, reprocessing of
reusable sterile stock or disposal of commercially processed single-use
medical devices exposed to high humidity.Given the high cost of reprocessing reusable medical devices or disposal
of single use medical devices it would be very useful to have a consensus
document to guide actions in such an event.Are other health services experiencing high humidity events?
Is the humidity level in your CSSD sterile store area monitored and
recorded daily?
Do you have an existing policy/procedure for managing high humidity events
in CSSD sterile store areas?
Do you think there is a need for a contemporary Australian document
guiding action in a high humidity event?I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.
Regards,
Mary
Mary Smith
Regional Infection Control Advisor
(Working days – Monday to Thursday)Rural and Regional Health Branch / Grampians
Department of Health and Human Services21 McLachlan Street, Horsham, Victoria, 3400
t. 03 5381 9703 | m. 0419 447 491
e. mary.smith@dhhs.vic.gov.au
w. http://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au_________________________________________________________________________________
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Hi Mary
We have certainly been experiencing them.
After we experienced some in 2017 I went looking and did not really find a great deal seems the same sort of motherhood statements are made but little else.I did find a Canadian consensus statement from 2007 which might be helpful.
http://www.csao.net/files/pdfs/High%20Humidity%20in%20Sterile%20Storage%20CSA%20July%202007.pdf
Regards Cate
Cate Forster – Quality and Risk Coordinator
Infection Prevention and Control Unit &
Employee Exposure Management & Immunisation Service (EEMIS)
PO Box 52, Frankston 3199Dear List Members,
Does anyone have guidelines for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
We have found that there seems to be have been an increased number of extreme heat and humidity weather events experienced in Victoria over the last two summers causing issues in sterile store areas and operating rooms in some of our health services.
There seems to be a lack of clear advice on what to do should the readings exceed the acceptable humidity levels in healthcare sterile storage areas. How long can items be exposed to humidity levels outside the recommended range and at what point should action be taken? That is, reprocessing of reusable sterile stock or disposal of commercially processed single-use medical devices exposed to high humidity.
Given the high cost of reprocessing reusable medical devices or disposal of single use medical devices it would be very useful to have a consensus document to guide actions in such an event.
1. Are other health services experiencing high humidity events?
1. Is the humidity level in your CSSD sterile store area monitored and recorded daily?
1. Do you have an existing policy/procedure for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
1. Do you think there is a need for a contemporary Australian document guiding action in a high humidity event?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.
Regards,
Mary
Mary Smith
Regional Infection Control Advisor
(Working days – Monday to Thursday)Rural and Regional Health Branch / Grampians
Department of Health and Human Services21 McLachlan Street, Horsham, Victoria, 3400
t. 03 5381 9703 | m. 0419 447 491
e. mary.smith@dhhs.vic.gov.au
w. http://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named above and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying or use of this information is prohibited. The Department provides no guarantee that this communication is free of virus or that it has not been intercepted or interfered with. If you have received this email in error or have any other concerns regarding its transmission, please notify Postmaster@dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.
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MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.
The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
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Hi Members
We have to rely on recommendations of AS 4187:2014. Individual health service organizations shall write their own policy towards managing identified risk associated with this. We are fortunate in NSW to have not experienced this, as far as I am aware. Below are parts of the Standard that could be beneficial.
* 5.6.1: Shall provide the physical environment and equipment necessary…..this includes the requirements for environmental control…e.g…..humidity, air flow…
* 9.5…processed RMDs shall be stored in a manner that prevents/minimizes the risk of contamination….
* A9.5(g) RH should be controlled within the range 35%-70%
(h) AS 1668.2 applies, HB260 and AHFGSome interesting reads: (last one from TerryM)
http://www.csao.net/files/pdfs/High%20Humidity%20in%20Sterile%20Storage%20CSA%20July%202007.pdf
http://www.spdceus.com/ceus/pdf/sterile_storage.pdf
http://www.idhjournal.com.au/article/S1835-5617(16)30185-5/fulltextAn interesting one that can be more “relaxing”:
We do monitor our environmental conditions on all sterile stock areas. “Out of range” readings are reported immediately and our facilities management application software and does its job. This means an automated log of service providers is generated in an email to “fix” associated issues.
I don’t believe there is any need to have another guideline/document. If we have the standards recommendations, it is incumbent upon individual facilities to comply in maintaining what is required, in this case RH- 35%-70%.
Happy storing
Roel Beltran Castillo
Sterilising Services Unit Manager
Macquarie University Hospital
3 Technology Place
Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
Locked Bag 2231, North Ryde BC, NSW 1670T: +61 2 9812 3213 I M: +61 0 434 496 829
http://www.muh.org.au[cid:image001.jpg@01D03EEF.C9D3C830]
Macquarie University Hospital is Australia’s first and only private hospital on a University campus. We are committed to delivering superior clinical outcomes and a positive patient experience through the best available care and technology.
Dear List Members,
Does anyone have guidelines for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
We have found that there seems to be have been an increased number of extreme heat and humidity weather events experienced in Victoria over the last two summers causing issues in sterile store areas and operating rooms in some of our health services.
There seems to be a lack of clear advice on what to do should the readings exceed the acceptable humidity levels in healthcare sterile storage areas. How long can items be exposed to humidity levels outside the recommended range and at what point should action be taken? That is, reprocessing of reusable sterile stock or disposal of commercially processed single-use medical devices exposed to high humidity.
Given the high cost of reprocessing reusable medical devices or disposal of single use medical devices it would be very useful to have a consensus document to guide actions in such an event.
1. Are other health services experiencing high humidity events?
1. Is the humidity level in your CSSD sterile store area monitored and recorded daily?
1. Do you have an existing policy/procedure for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
1. Do you think there is a need for a contemporary Australian document guiding action in a high humidity event?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.
Regards,
Mary
Mary Smith
Regional Infection Control Advisor
(Working days – Monday to Thursday)Rural and Regional Health Branch / Grampians
Department of Health and Human Services21 McLachlan Street, Horsham, Victoria, 3400
t. 03 5381 9703 | m. 0419 447 491
e. mary.smith@dhhs.vic.gov.au
w. http://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named above and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying or use of this information is prohibited. The Department provides no guarantee that this communication is free of virus or that it has not been intercepted or interfered with. If you have received this email in error or have any other concerns regarding its transmission, please notify Postmaster@dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.
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MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.
The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
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Hello Mary
Yup we have been through this recently and with the help of this discussion group who provided me with similar information when I posted a very similar question recently
Since then we have managed to develop (& are still in development as we are not perfect ) of a site specific SOPs for our all facilities to action if the humidification alarm goes off as being ‘out of threshold’we have established the capacity to monitor them centrally via our physical resources (maintenance /asset Management ) dept. who have a process in place for notification of delegated staff for messaging (similar to vaccine fridges) this was the starting point to investigate for all our sites and was a feat to get standardised centralised temp & humidity monitoring that was a NATA validated calibration process (not something stuck on a wall that had been purchased …not sure how it was calibrated) …I am forever grateful and indebted to this fabulous, knowledgeable vital dept in our health service
Looks like it been a warm humid year and many of us !!!
I would support the need for a contemporary Australian document guiding action in a high humidity event……Just not sure who would develop this and where it would be ratified / validated by?
Kind regards
Lindy
Lindy Ryan
District Infection Prevention & Control CNC | Clinical Governance Unit MNCLHD
Level 1 Coffs Specialist Centre, Pacific Hwy, Coffs Harbour
Mob 0419 990 693 | lindy.ryan@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au[http://internal.health.nsw.gov.au/communications/e-signatures/images/NSW-Health-Mid-North-Coast-LHD.jpg]
“Wise and humane management of the patient is the best safeguard against infection”
(Florence Nightingale Circa 1860)Dear List Members,
Does anyone have guidelines for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
We have found that there seems to be have been an increased number of extreme heat and humidity weather events experienced in Victoria over the last two summers causing issues in sterile store areas and operating rooms in some of our health services.
There seems to be a lack of clear advice on what to do should the readings exceed the acceptable humidity levels in healthcare sterile storage areas. How long can items be exposed to humidity levels outside the recommended range and at what point should action be taken? That is, reprocessing of reusable sterile stock or disposal of commercially processed single-use medical devices exposed to high humidity.
Given the high cost of reprocessing reusable medical devices or disposal of single use medical devices it would be very useful to have a consensus document to guide actions in such an event.
1. Are other health services experiencing high humidity events?
1. Is the humidity level in your CSSD sterile store area monitored and recorded daily?
1. Do you have an existing policy/procedure for managing high humidity events in CSSD sterile store areas?
1. Do you think there is a need for a contemporary Australian document guiding action in a high humidity event?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.
Regards,
Mary
Mary Smith
Regional Infection Control Advisor
(Working days – Monday to Thursday)Rural and Regional Health Branch / Grampians
Department of Health and Human Services21 McLachlan Street, Horsham, Victoria, 3400
t. 03 5381 9703 | m. 0419 447 491
e. mary.smith@dhhs.vic.gov.au
w. http://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named above and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying or use of this information is prohibited. The Department provides no guarantee that this communication is free of virus or that it has not been intercepted or interfered with. If you have received this email in error or have any other concerns regarding its transmission, please notify Postmaster@dhhs.vic.gov.au
_________________________________________________________________________________
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.
Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au
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________________________________
This message is intended for the addressee(s) named and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete the message and any attachments and notify the sender. Views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of NSW Health or any of its entities.
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.
The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.
Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au
To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.
You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au
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