Infection Control

 

Biological Hazards and Infections

There are a wide variety of biological hazards that can pose a threat to human health through infection.  For an infection to occur, the infectious agent needs to enter the body and then grow/replicate to the extent that it causes an adverse reaction.  There are many types of infectious agents, including fungi (yeast and moulds), bacteria, viruses and parasites.  In order for an infection to occur, there has to be a source of the infectious agent (e.g. an infected human or surface contamination), a susceptible person (with a way for the agent to enter the body), and a means of transmission (that is, how the infectious agent gets from the source to the susceptible person).

Safetech provides specialized services using state-of-the-art equipment and qualified laboratories to identify environmental sources of infectious agents and confirm that impacted surfaces have been properly cleaned, disinfected and fit for occupancy.  Safetech also designs and oversees environmental infection control projects and provides recommendations for proper decontamination procedures (e.g., containment, engineering controls, personal protective equipment, cleaning and disinfection methods) based on the nature of the work and known or suspected infectious agent(s) present.

 

Typical Infection Control Services Provided by Safetech Include:

Assessment and Testing for Biological Hazards Associated with:

  • COVID-19 Outbreaks in Various Buildings

  • Unsanitary Water / Sewage Contamination

  • Water System Contamination (Legionella)

  • Trauma / Crime Scenes

  • Unsanitary Living Conditions (Hoarders)

  • Healthcare Facility (nosocomial) Infections (MSRA, C. difficile, Opportunistic Fungal Pathogens)

  • Bird and Bat Guano Contamination (Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis)

 

Do you Have a Construction or Renovation Project in a Healthcare Facility?

Construction or renovation projects in a healthcare facility (e.g., hospital, long-term care, medical clinic, etc.) need to follow precautions not typically practiced in other buildings.  Why? Healthcare facilities are unique in the sense that they have a population with reduced health status and weakened immune systems.  These patients are particularly susceptible to infections.  Construction, renovation or maintenance activities can disturb settled dust (which may be a source of opportunistic fungi) and temporarily disrupt water supplies (that could be a source of Legionella).  Therefore, it is important that proper precautionary and remedial measures are followed to protect against construction-related infections.

The extent of precautionary and remedial measures required depends on the type of construction work and the location within the facility (and population at risk) where the work is occurring.  Safetech has significant experience and expertise working in healthcare facilities.  Our trained personnel follow in-house infection control policies while working in healthcare facilities.  Our knowledge of construction-related infection control standards and guidelines and use of state-of-the-art equipment and qualified laboratories allows us to design, assess and verify that construction and renovation projects in healthcare facilities are completed safely.

 

Typical Construction-Related Infection Control Services Provided by Safetech Include:

  • Pre-Construction Assessments / Preventive Measures Analysis

  • Design and Preparation of Construction-Related Infection Control Project Specifications

  • Inspection and Air Quality Monitoring (mould, particulate, etc.) Prior to, During and Post-Construction

  • Water Quality Monitoring for Legionella

  • Construction-Related Infection Control Awareness Training