AHA Emphasizes Impact of Lower Humidity Levels on OR Supplies and Equipment

Healthcare organizations that maintain less than 30% relative humidity (RH) in their operating suites should evaluate how lower humidity levels impact the integrity and functionality of certain medical products, states January 2015 guidance released by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management, and other stakeholders. The guidance addresses the fact that the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers revised its international standard for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) design parameters in 2010, changing the environmental RH for anesthetizing locations, including operating rooms (ORs), to lower the minimum end of the range from 30% to 20%.