Case Study: Surgical Center in a Medical Facility

Situation

After an inspection by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations under guidelines from the Agency for Health Care Administration, a 10,000-square-foot surgical center was at risk of being shut down. The inspection identified gross contamination behind the wall coverings. Multiple walls throughout the center had mold growth and moisture, indicating full-blown contamination.

To minimize disruption and down time, we delivered the project in 96 hours, beginning on a Friday at close of business and completing in time for Wednesday morning procedures. This included remediation, air sampling, and restoration.

Analysis

The inspection revealed that some 30 percent of the building was affected. The temperature in the surgical center was set at 68º, creating a temperature difference in the space between the suspended ceiling and the drywall ceiling above it. As a result, this space was at dew point, creating excess condensation. The affected area had been retrofitted from its original intended use. We also found multiple failures in the mechanical system, some of which were caused by flaws in the initial installation, others that had occurred since.

Solution

The Fresh Air Group took the following steps to solve the client's problem:

• Hired and consulted with a certified HVAC contractor to identify the problems with the mechanical system
• Hired and consulted with an inspection/engineering company to review building plans, determine the problem with the interstitial ceiling space, and detail the solution
• Removed any mold-laden material or managed material in place
• Restored all materials to original design or better

 

Testimonials

"As a medical center, we are subject to a higher compliance threshold. We needed a professional, so it wasn't about flipping through the Yellow Pages. It had to be quickly, because we lost business every day.

"...they coordinated everything -- they got a company to do the testing with a formal report, did the remediation, did another survey to test before the restoration...

"...They called every 24 hours with updates; what underscored their success was the ability to have a half-dozen subcontractors ready to go: flooring, painting, ceiling tile, HVAC, etc."

-- Medical Facility Administrator.