Physical Area for Maintenance
The infrastructure of a hospital contains systems and equipment whose proper functioning
is vital for effective infection control. These systems provide water; sewers, medical
gases and vacuum; laundry; sterilization; heating; ventilation and air conditioning; and
refrigeration. In maintaining and servicing these systems, it is often necessary to work at
the site of system installation, rather than a remote workshop. Appropriate areas should
be maintained in a centralized workshop and in satellite locations throughout the hospital.
The complexity of the maintenance area should be compatible with the complexity
of the technology installed and with the maintenance activities to be developed.
Adequate space is required for work on large systems (such as steam sterilizers), and
care must be taken to minimize the dangers such as working with high temperature and
high pressure steam.