Seattle Children’s Hospital Operating Rooms Shut Down Because of Fungus

Operating rooms at Seattle Children’s Hospital were shut down after the discovery of Aspergillus, a fungus that can cause infections.  Air tests detected Aspergillus in several operating rooms and equipment storage rooms.  The fungus postponed between 20 and 50 surgeries per day, and 3,000 patients were notified.
 
The hospital is working with an outside industrial hygienist to investigate the source of the Aspergillus and implement mitigation measures. It has reported the situation to the Washington State Department of Health.  The hospital is currently looking at how the ORs came to have the fungus in them. Its cleaning protocols include using an antimicrobial cleaner after each surgery and at the end of each day and using air filtration to keep the ORs under positive pressure, according to a report on the Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare website.
 
(Source: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/healthcarefacilities/tip/Seattle-Childrens-Hospital-Operating-Rooms-Shut-Down-Because-of-Fungus--44016)
 
Hygieneering, Inc. specializes in comprehensive and cost-effective Indoor Air Quality Management and Mold Prevention Programs.  Hygieneering’s Annual Indoor Air Quality Management and Mold Prevention Programs promote healthy and productive work environments and include the following key services:
 

• Customized written IAQ Management & Mold Prevention Operations and Maintenance Program specific to the facility
• Visual inspection for signs of risk factors leading to poor indoor air quality, which include wet building materials and signs of water infiltration leading to colonization of Aspergillus, Penicillium and other organisms associated with water intrusion.
• Moisture testing of building materials
• Assessing the environment for Temperature, Relative Humidity, CO, CO2 and Volatile Organic Compounds
• Air sampling for fungal and mold spores
• Use of Thermal Imaging camera to identify suspect sources of water intrusion and wet building materials
• Annual Training on IAQ Management & Moisture  Prevention and Response Activities

 
Once the water source has been identified and eliminated, the remaining wet building materials are identified and the affected area is safely and legally remediated utilizing Hygieneering’s Mold Consulting and Remediation Services.  These services include:
 

• Surface and Bulk Sampling for Mold prior to and after remediation project performance
• Mold Remediation Project Design/Specification
• Mold Remediation Contractor Project Bid Solicitation
• Turnkey Mold Remediation Project Management
• Final Inspection, Testing and Reporting Services prior to area re-occupancy

 
For more information, click to contact David Zeidner at dzeidner@hygieneering.com or call 630-706-6677.
 
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Hygieneering is a professional service provider and a certified woman-owned business. We provide environmental consulting, safety consulting, training and emergency response services. Our Team of certified industrial hygienists, certified safety professionals and environmental engineers have been developing proven, feasible and legal solutions to environmental, health and safety issues since 1987.
 
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