Construction/Maintenance-Related Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

Construction and maintenance activities can cause potentially fatal infections in patients near the project area in any health care setting. Even relatively minor work can cause serious infections, if performed near susceptible patients. To control this risk, Health Canada and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) have issued extensive guidelines for the conduct of construction or maintenance activities near patients or other high risk areas.

Why Attend?

Construction and maintenance work in hospitals and other health care facilities can release airborne fungal spores that can cause serious infections in nearby patients. The medical literature continues to report cases and clusters of illness related to construction work, in many cases involving multiple deaths.

Contamination of water supplies with Legionella bacteria can also cause serious and fatal respiratory infections. To control these risks, Health Canada and the Canadian Standards Association has developed guidelines for the safe conduct of construction and maintenance work in hospitals.

The objective of this course is to assist those responsible for construction and infection control in hospitals with the implementation and monitoring of these precautions. The course has been designed for:

• Architects
• Engineers
• Insurance and risk management professionals
• Construction managers
• Infection control specialists

Course Outline

• Origins of fungal and bacterial contamination in the building fabric of hospitals
• Diseases caused by biological contamination, patients at risk
• Liability and insurance for the respective parties
• Principles of particulate isolation and control
• Risk mitigation following Health Canada and US guidelines
• Monitoring strategies for infection control procedures

Format and Methodology

This is a one-day seminar, based on a combination of lectures, discussions and group exercises to apply the principles taught. Several real-life cases will be presented. Air sampling equipment will be demonstrated. The learners are asked to bring to the course any projects they may wish to discuss.

This seminar is available for on-site presentation, either in the complete format or in a condensed version to suit particular needs.

A certificate of completion is issued at the end of the course.

Awards and Points

Have a Question for our Breakfast or Course Leader ?

Pinchin delivers close to a hundred seminars per year and we recognize that some people are not comfortable asking potentially sensitive questions in an open forum. We will gladly deal with these one-on-one but if you want to email the question ahead of time, we'll make sure we answer it during the seminar. Send questions to General Inquiries.