HTM 03-01 Critical Ventilation Systems Verification

Fact: Over 1875 critical ventilations verified annually

Ventilation systems serving ‘critical care areas’ should be inspected quarterly and their performance measured and verified annually. The quarterly inspection can be a simple visual check but the annual verification will be more detailed and include measurement of the system’s actual performance.

All our verifications and tests are carried out in accordance with HTM 03-01 (relating to HTM 2025 if necessary) and all relevant HTMs, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, Health Building Note (HBN) 04-01, EGGMP (Orange guide), European guidelines on good manufacturing practice (GMP) published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), ISO (the International Organization for Standardisation) 14644

Our engineers are expertly trained to BTEC Level 3 / City & Guilds Authorised Person HVAC (HTM 03) and have vast experience in testing all different types of operating theatres including ultra-clean operating theatres, minor procedures rooms, hospital wards, sterile service departments including IAP rooms, aseptic suites, isolation rooms, mortuaries, pharmacies and category 2 and 3 laboratories. All instruments used in testing are calibrated to national standards and copies of certification are supplied with reports

Our critical ventilation system verification service includes:

Supply and extract air change rates
Room pressure differentials
Light level test
Sound level test
Room schematic
Duct traverse reading
HTM 03-01 AHU inspection
HTM 03-01 suite inspection
Particle counts if requested/where applicable
Filter integrity testing (DOP) of HEPA filters fitted (supply/extract or UCV canopy)
UCV preliminary checks
UCV 2 metre and 1 metre readings
Full written report with conclusions and recommendations
Remedial work based upon the report can be undertaken

Our collaborative and proactive approach drives efficiency, cost savings and offers our clients peace of mind. We are committed to continuous improvement, through innovation and investment in our personnel, methodologies and equipment.

We offer extremely competitive rates and daytime or evenings to offer minimal disturbance to our customers

Definition of a critical ventilation system

Operating theatres of any type, including rooms used for interventional investigations (eg catheter laboratories)
Patient isolation facility of any type
Critical care, intensive treatment or high-dependency unit
Neonatal unit
Category 3 or 4 laboratory or room
Pharmacy aseptic suite
Inspection and packing room in a sterile services department
MRI, CAT and other types of emerging imaging technologies that require particularly stable environmental conditions to remain within calibration
Any system classified as a lev system under the COSHH regulations
Any other system that clearly meets the definition

Annual verification is intended to establish

The system is still required
The AHU conforms to the minimum standard
The fire containment has not been breached
The general condition of the ventilation system is adequate
The fabric of the area served is satisfactory
The system performance is adequate with respect to the functional requirement – this will require:
- A full measure of the supply and extract air-flow rates
- The calculation of room air-change rates if applicable
- The measurement of room differential pressures if applicable
- The measurement of room noise levels
- Air-quality checks if appropriate
- A check on the control functions

An assessment should then be made as to whether the system overall is fit for purpose and operating in a satisfactory manner