Dust Control in Healthcare

It’s obviously crucial for any healthcare facility to create safe and healthy environments for patients and staff. Hospitals, outpatient centers, clinics, and other systems comply with policies and procedures to keep their environment safe and sanitized. Many also rely on externally-managed safety and hygiene programs to ensure patient safety and facility cleanliness. But one often overlooked issue is that of dust control in healthcare settings.

How does hospital dust control play a major role in protecting patients and staff? Read on to find out.

Why is Dust Control Essential for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities?

Controlling dust from the ground up is important in any setting. Dust can make us sick in stores, office buildings, or our own homes. But because wellbeing is particularly pertinent in medical environments, it becomes even more important to have effective dust control in healthcare.

A good dust control practice has a direct benefit to patient safety. That’s because dust can routinely contain allergens that can irritate patients or cause discomfort, which can disrupt the effectiveness of their treatment. There’s also evidence that respiratory infections can spread through airborne dust.

Additionally (and this can’t be discounted), dust control improves the overall cleanliness of the facility and fosters better patient satisfaction, both of which improve the patient experience. This, in turn, constructs the overall image and brand of the facility.

Do you have the right dust control solutions in place?
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Tips for Effective Dust Control in Healthcare

There are dozens of ways to limit the spread of dust and debris in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and beyond. Here are a few of the most effective methods.

• Use quality floor mats: Use floor mats certified by the National Floor Safety Institute to trap dust and dirt to prevent dust from becoming airborne. Place them in high-traffic areas like foyers and vestibules to prevent dust from infiltrating deeper into a facility. Also, clean floor mats regularly to maintain performance and replace them before they become too worn to effectively trap dust.
• Use cleaning mops with microfiber heads: According to the Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, microfiber cloths and mops trap much more dust than cotton rags. Therefore, microfiber is a more reliable solution for controlling dust.
• Maintain ventilation systems: Keep dust from circulating through the air by maintaining facility ventilation systems and changing vent filters regularly.
• Dust daily: Daily dustings, as well as floor and surface cleanings (including high surfaces), will prevent dust and debris from building up over time, minimizing the associated risks.

Finding the Best Floor Mats for Reducing Dust and Dirt

Floor mats are often your first line of defense in controlling the amount of dirt, dust, and debris that infiltrates a hospital or other healthcare facility. Naturally, choosing the best floor mats for reducing dust and dirt before it’s brought further into the facility is a key component of effective hospital dust control. Those that make use of materials that are adept at trapping dust like microfiber will provide better levels of dust control than those that aren’t.

But finding the right floor mats or microfiber solution isn’t the only step needed to ensure proper dust control for healthcare. Those items need to be continually cleaned and even replaced.

For that reason, consider the advantages of using a medical laundry or linen service to rent and manage your floor mats and microfiber products, instead of purchasing them outright. This not only controls costs but also ensures that you’ll always receive fresh and clean dust control solutions regularly. The cleaner and newer they are, the better at controlling dust and keeping everyone healthier, safer, and feeling better.

ImageFIRST is the largest national provider of healthcare linen services. Learn more about our rental and sanitation programs, which include floor mats, microfiber mops, and so much more.