According to a recent BBC enquiry, over 90% of NHS trusts report that they have hospitals containing asbestos.

Though the NHS claims that their strict regulations ensure that any asbestos in their buildings is safely contained, this should act as a wake-up call. Not just for healthcare settings, but for schools, universities, offices, and other workplaces. Because asbestos is potentially lethal, and it’s a lot more common than you might realise.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a silicate mineral composed of long and thin fibrous crystals. Each crystal fibre contains microscopic “fibrils”. If the asbestos is struck, rubbed, or cut, or if the material deteriorates, these microscopic fibrils can be released into the atmosphere.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

Inhaling asbestos fibres can lead to numerous lung conditions, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. It can also lead to long-term inflammation and scarring of the lungs, a condition named after the material itself: Asbestosis.

What Buildings Contain Asbestos?

Though we now recognise asbestos as a serious health and safety hazard, unfortunately asbestos was a common building material for decades. Asbestos is solid, stable, a good electrical insulator and highly fire resistant. It wasn’t until the 1970s that we became aware of the health risks. As such, many modern buildings constructed before the 1980s are very likely to contain asbestos as part of their structure.

What is an Asbestos Air Quality Test?

An asbestos air quality test will measure the levels of asbestos fibres in the air. The test can involve background air monitoring to establish the base levels of airborne particles. It can also involve exposure monitoring, which involves testing areas where people are likely to gather and work to assess likely exposure levels.

Following an asbestos air quality test, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining the potential risks on your premises, which should contain some recommendations for how you can improve the air quality for everyone.

If you’d like to know more about how air quality tests work, head here to read our full guide to testing and improving air quality in hospitals, schools and workplaces.

Do I Need an Asbestos Air Quality Test?

Asbestos isn’t really used in construction anymore. But if you work in a building constructed between 1950 and 1990, then it’s very likely that your workplace contains asbestos. And if that asbestos is ever disturbed, or even if it deteriorates, then it could pose a serious health risk.

But even more recently-built workplaces should consider asbestos air quality tests. If an older building was demolished to make way for your workplace, then there may still be asbestos particles lingering in the air. In fact, any demolition in your surrounding area may have released asbestos into the air, which might have been carried by the wind to pose a risk elsewhere.

For decades, asbestos was everywhere. So for total peace of mind, all schools, healthcare settings and workplaces should consider an asbestos air quality test. Because the earlier you know about your exposure risk levels, the earlier you can act to improve the health quality for everyone.

Arrange an Air Quality Test for Your Hospital, School, or Workplace

We specialise in workplace air quality monitoring services. We can monitor your staff’s exposure levels to any potentially harmful substances in your workplace, including asbestos. This will help you to understand your risk levels so you can devise an air quality solution that works for you. Head here to learn more about our bespoke air quality monitoring services.

Air purifiers can filter many harmful particles. You can get small standalone purifiers for single rooms, as well as larger systems for larger rooms, some capable of achieving five air changes per hour. Head here to browse our range of air purifiers for a range of settings.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) first published their ISO 9000 family of quality management systems in 1987.

What is ISO 9000?

At the core of ISO 9000 are seven quality management principles. ISO 9001 sets out a series of requirements that any organisations that wishes to met the quality standards must fulfil.

ISO Certified Meaning

If an organisation is ISO 9001 certified, it means they’ve satisfied the criteria to embed the seven quality management principles across their operations.

The seven quality management principles are as follows:

• Customer Focus – The organisation understands current and future customer needs. They meet customer requirements while striving to exceed customer expectations.
• Leadership – Directors and managers define the organisation’s goals and work to create unity of purpose. The organisation creates and maintains a culture in which people can work towards achieving the organisation’s objectives.
• Engagement – Across the organisation and at all levels, people make full use of their abilities to help the organisation achieve its goals.
• Process Approach – The organisation manages activities and related resources as a process.
• Improvement – One of the organisation’s ongoing objectives should be to strive towards overall performance improvement.
• Relationship management – The organisation treats all external providers, including suppliers and contractors, as interdependent. They work towards establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.

How to Become ISO 9001 Certified

The ISO does not itself certify organisations. Instead, they rely on independent certification bodies to audit organisations based on the seven quality management principles. These certification bodies also have the power to issue ISO 9001 compliance certificates.

During the certification process, the auditor will scrutinise the organisation’s various sites, functions, products, processes, and services. Following the audit, they’ll present the organisation’s directors with a list of areas for improvement. The auditor will only issue a certificate if the organisation can present a satisfactory improvement plan.

There are no degrees of ISO 9001 certification. Organisations are either certified, or they’re not. ISO 9001 certification does not last forever. The certification body will conduct a fresh audit every three years or so.

You can read a detailed explanation of what it means to be ISO 9001 certified in this resource from the ISO.

Who Needs ISO 9001 Certification?

Many seem to think that ISO 9001 certification is only for manufacturing businesses. But ISO designed the standard so that any organisation can use it, regardless of their size or sector. This includes service providers such as schools, universities and hospitals.

So what might it look like in practice for a service provider to achieve ISO 9001 certification?

As we specialise in improving certain standards in healthcare settings, let’s explore what it might mean for a healthcare provider to become ISO 9001 certified.

ISO 9001 for Healthcare

In a healthcare setting such as a hospital, an ISO 9001 auditor might consider the following:

• The hospital works to ensure its patient’s needs are met and exceeded. But it’s also focused on meeting the needs of regulatory bodies, and any other interested parties.
• The leadership can define the hospital’s purpose and objectives, enabling hospital managers to clearly outline responsibilities and define roles in order to help the hospital achieve its objectives.
• The hospital can define the risks associated with its service provision, equipment, infrastructure and clinical resources, and can demonstrate its ability to manage these risks.

If you’re aiming for ISO 9001 certification in your healthcare organisation, we can help you get there.

Air Quality & Exposure Levels for ISO 9001

We offer workplace air quality monitoring consultations, with which you can monitor your staff’s exposure to any potentially harmful substances in your hospital. This will help you understand your risk levels, so you can devise an air quality solution that works for you.

This will help you demonstrate that you’re aware of the inherent risks in your organisation, and that you take a proactive approach to managing these risks. It will also help you demonstrate your commitment to ongoing improvement – another key ISO quality management principal.

We also stock an extensive range of specialist air purification systems for healthcare settings. These will enable you to significantly improve the air quality in your organisation, which will help you secure your ISO 9001 certification for the long-term. Head here to browse our range of hospital air purifiers.

You may have heard about how some areas of the UK are trialling lower speed limits in a bid to improve air quality.

In September 2021, the Welsh government introduced new 50 mph zones in five locations in south and north-east Wales. National Highways have also revealed their plans for setting new 60 mph speed limits on certain short sections of their network.

But what sort of impact can a speed limit have on air quality?

In this post we’ll explore the link between speed and pollution. We’ll also discuss some ways you can help improve the air quality in your workplace – whether it’s an office, a school, or a hospital.

How Speed Affects Air Quality

The faster a vehicle travels, the more fuel it burns. And the more fuel a vehicle burns, the more emissions it creates. Emissions from a vehicle’s exhaust contain many potentially harmful pollutants. One of the more harmful pollutants found in a vehicle’s exhaust emissions is NO₂ – nitrogen dioxide. Chronic exposure to NO₂ can lead to a range of respiratory conditions.

NO₂ is also terrible for the environment. If it interacts with the water, oxygen and other chemicals in the atmosphere, it can create acid rain, which can cause immense damage to lakes, forests, and other sensitive ecosystems.

Do Lower Speed Limits Reduce Pollution?

In late 2019, National Highways published the results of a survey that demonstrated a link between speed and emissions in light vehicles. This review suggests that even dropping the speed limit from 70 mph to 60 mph could lead to an overall reduction in harmful emissions.

The Welsh government stated that, following their 50 mph speed limit trials, they’d seen a 47% reduction in air pollution in some areas.

A lower speed limit means less speeding, which means less fuel burnt, which means lower emissions. But a lower speed limit can also discourage certain driving habits. Vehicles burn the most fuel when they’re accelerating. With a lower speed limit, drivers may be less likely to aggressively accelerate to overtake other motorists. This too will have an impact on emissions.

In these trial areas across the UK, the traffic might have slowed down, but it still moves. If all vehicles move at a steady 50 or 60 mph, then it may be less likely that congestion will build up on busy roads. This is why certain “smart motorways” introduce variable speed limits – they can help prevent traffic jams. This can have a positive impact on air quality, as vehicles burn a lot of fuel when they’re idling in traffic.

How to Reduce Pollution and Improve Air Quality In Your Area

Air quality can have a significant impact on public health. This is why workplaces across the country should seek ways to improve the air quality on and around their premises. As we’ve seen, a lower speed limit can positively influence air quality. So if you can, consider introducing a low speed limit on your premises. Not only will this improve air quality, it will also improve safety conditions – particularly if you’re running a school or a hospital.

Unfortunately, it’s likely that you have very little control over the roads surrounding your premises. But you can still make a difference to the air quality inside your workplace.

We offer bespoke air quality monitoring systems for workplaces including hospitals, schools, universities and offices. We can assess the air quality of your premises and advise on a solution to help your staff and service users breathe cleaner, healthier air. We also stock a range of powerful air purifiers suitable for a range of environments, from open plan offices to operating theatres.

Want to talk about how we can help reduce air pollute and improve the air quality in your workplace? Get in touch to talk to one of our air purification experts today

The 2020 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of good air filtration in medical settings. A University of Cambridge study found that an air filtration system in a Covid-19 ward successfully removed almost all traces of the airborne virus.

But what sort of air filtration system is suitable for a hospital setting? And how do hospital air filtration systems differ from the sort of systems you might find in the home?

A Quick Guide to Air Filtration in Hospitals

An off the shelf, one-size-fits-all approach to air filtration is unsuitable for a healthcare setting. Different areas of the hospital will have different requirements.

Waiting rooms and other public areas will need a good supply of clean air to prevent the spread of infections among staff and outpatients. Operating theatres and other treatment areas will have much more substantial air filtration needs. Other parts of the hospital, including laboratories and storage areas, might not handle patients directly. But good air filtration will still be necessary to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

There’ll be strict regulations governing the hygiene standards in every area of a hospital – and these regulations will often extend to air quality. They might specify a set number of air changes per hour (ACH), for example. They might even specify the exact sort of air filtration equipment required for each healthcare setting.

What Air Filtration Systems Are Used in Hospitals?

Hospitals rely on a combination of specialist heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to regulate airflow, and to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.

Any air entering the hospital might first pass through a series of filters before it’s allowed to circulate. These filters will reduce the levels of potentially harmful particulates in the air, such as dust, pollen, and pollution from nearby roads.

In some areas, static cooling systems will cool the air without circulating it. But in areas where infection control is paramount – such as wards and operating theatres – dedicated air filters will work to trap any airborne contaminants while delivering a set number of air changes each hour.

What’s The Difference Between a Hospital Air Filtration System and a Domestic Air Filtration System?

Hospital air filters differ from the sort you might find in your home in a number of ways. They’ll likely be larger, more powerful and catch smaller particulates as they’ll need the extra performance level to suit the healthcare setting.

Hospitals might have to filter the air in a much larger space than they would in the home. But whereas you might place a domestic air filter on a surface, a hospital air filter will likely be mounted on the wall or the ceiling. This helps to maximise the amount of usable space in the room, while also making it possible to direct the flow of air to wherever it’s needed.

Healthcare air filtration systems are also likely to be much more powerful, as effective infection control in a healthcare setting often depends on a substantial number of air changes per hour.

Lastly, hospital air purification systems often use much finer filters. An air filtration system in the home is designed to capture dust, pet dander, and other common pollutants. But an air filtration system in the hospital will be capable of removing much smaller contaminants – such as viruses.

Examples of Air Filtration Systems for Healthcare Settings

Our range of HealthProtect air purifiers are specifically designed for hospitals and healthcare settings.

The BlueAir HealthProtect 7740i Air Purifier can deliver complete filtration ever 12.5 minutes in rooms as large as 62m². Its filters can trap up to 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns. And it doesn’t just trap tiny virus and bacteria particles – it kills them too, using a combination of low air draft and plasma charging. Meanwhile, a gentle stream of air prevents any germs from building up on the filters.

As well as stocking powerful air filtration systems for hospitals, we also offer bespoke air quality monitoring systems. We can assess the air quality of your premises and advise on a solution to help prevent exposure while ensuring both staff and patients can breathe cleaner, healthier air.

Want to talk about how we can help reduce air pollute and improve the air quality in your hospital? Get in touch to talk to one of our air purification experts today.