General

Ventilation
VENTILATION THAT CONTROLS THE AIR ENVIRONMENT
BY REMOVING AND REPLACING CONTAMINATED AIR
BEFORE CHEMICAL CONCENTRATIONS REACH
UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS.
 Types of general ventilation
For For
Hot •Heat control
processes •Dilution of
odour

Natural Dilution

How Use
Use Not for
Windows Exhaust fan
Control
and door Chimney Make up air toxicity levels
kept open Effect fan
 Contaminant emissions must
be widely dispersed
Principles in
Exhaust openings must be
Dilution
near contaminant source
Ventilation
The worker must not be
downstream of contaminant
Dilution
Ventilation
Local Exhaust Ventilation
[LEV]
Protect employees from
Local Exhaust exposure to hazardous substances by
Ventilation containing or capturing them locally, at the
emission point.

Engineering control options that may be used Must be in good design, fit for
to remove and prevent employee exposure to purpose, regularly maintained
vapor, mist, dust or other airborne and the system’s performance is
contaminants. monitored.

Employees must be given training in its use and

maintenance to understand its correct use and
effectiveness.
 An inlet/enclosure/hood

Ducting

Elements of Air cleaner or filter

lev
Air mover

Discharge or exhaust
Components of Local Exhaust
Ventilation
Local exhaust ventilation hoods
 Disadvantages of LEV

1) If LEV is wrong placed,

Advantages of LEV
contaminant can
extremely drawn into
1) Excellent positioned LEV/
operators’ breathing zone.
well designed will capture
2) It is an additional system to
emissions at sources for
operate and maintain;
employees protection
otherwise it could become
2) The general supply/
an exposure and/or fire
exhaust ventilation air
hazard
volume can be reduced as
3) Employees must be
it is not relied upon to dilute
properly trained in the
contaminants.
system’s correct use, its
effectiveness and
maintenance needs.
VENTILATION SYSTEM IN OPERATING THEATRE
 The ultimate aim
 to reduce the risk of infection from airborne particulates.

 The fundamental function of air filtration within an operating theatre :

 to remove contaminants from the air,
 to reduce the possibility of particulate entering a wound
 to provide a protective sterile zone around the wound.
Air Exchange in Operating Theatre

To control the space To assist the removal

temperature and of dilute waste and
humidity anesthetic gases

To control air
To Dilute airborne
movement for
bacterial
minimizing the
Contamination
transfer of bacteria
  A system with a diffuser outlet greater than
1800 x 1800mm
Laminar  Provides protection to the operating clean
zone in two (2) ways;
Airflow  (1) positive pressurization with sterile air ensures
that no contaminants can migrate into the clean
System zone
 (2), any air contaminated from within the
protected zone is rapidly displaced by clean air.
Recommended Laminar Airflows By
Operating Theatre Type
Small theatres / General surgery /
Orthopaedic /
Theatre type Day procedure Orthopaedic
Major surgery

Diffusion size 1,900mm x 2,400mm x 2,800mm x

1,900mm 2,400mm 2,800mm

Nominal
1500-1750l/s 2200l/s 2980l/s
airflow *

*Nominal Airflow: Vol of liquid passing thru a

system under a specific conditions
Advantages of Laminar Flow
System

 Minimize contamination by mobilizing uniform and large volume of

clean air to the surgical area and Contaminants are flushed out
instantly.
 Reduce the number of infective organisms in the theatre air by
generating a continuous flow of bacteria free air