Microbiological Contamination in a Large Metropolitan Hospital Following a Localized, Burst-Pipe Induced, Flooding Event

Details

• Personal Author:
  Martinez, Kenneth F.
• Description:
  In July 2001, NIOSH conducted a health hazard evaluation in a large metropolitan hospital to evaluate suspected microbiological contamination in a newly constructed, unoccupied surgical intensive care unit (SICU), adjacent offices, and laboratory space. Concern regarding suspect microbiological contamination was initiated subsequent to a brief flooding event resulting from a pipe that burst in the ceiling of the SICU. An industrial hygiene consultant had recommended major remediation activities including complete tear-out of gypsum wallboard following a moisture intrusion survey that identified significant wetting of building materials. The NIOSH investigation included a walk- through assessment of moisture affected areas, a review of building design plans, the collection of environmental measurements (temperature and relative humidity), a moisture content survey of building materials, the collection of bulk samples to assess microbiological contamination, and air samples of wall cavities. The walk-through assessment and moisture survey confirmed previously identified areas of moisture-laden building materials, predominantly in the SICU gypsum wallboard. SICU gypsum wallboard moisture readings ranged to 50% (on the relative scale) one month after the flooding event; this is in contrast to other water impacted areas on the first and second floors which were at or slightly above back- ground. Fungal concentrations from bulk material samples ranged from no growth to 6.8xl06 colony forming units per gram of material (CFU/m3), predominantly Penicillium species. Observation of wall cavities with a borescope revealed limited microbiological contamination. However, in-wall air samples indicated concentrations up to 6.8x106 CFU/m3, predominantly Penicillium species, which was consistent with the bulk sample results. Recommendations for remediation activities were reduced to focus on the lower sections of walls [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Hazardous Substances Microbiology Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Air-samples Health-hazards Industrial-hygiene Sampling Workplace-monitoring
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  29
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022391
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2002 Jun; :29
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 1-6, 2002, San Diego, California
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8c2faf29892bdb1a459d534a025997716a310527bbc035e7e166d30fd756d718e87560e424643f65cd8a4510cdecc79c756c71a6f07a5ade19d7a25359b6e4c3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199187/cdc_199187_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 498.50 KB ]