Purchase of Air Sampling Equipment and Performance of ISO Air Testing

RJLG Question 11: Is it appropriate to purchase air sampling equipment and perform our own ISO air testing for both viable and particle samples in a hospital setting?

RJLG Answer 11: In short, simply purchasing equipment and attempting to perform these tasks may not, and likely will not be appropriate. Your USP797 viable and nonviable environmental testing programs require personnel with a great deal of education, training, experience, and in some cases licensure and certification. There are some tasks associated with these programs that must only be performed by knowledgeable, qualified, and competent personnel using specialized equipment.
If your facility is considering handling these programs internally, I strongly urge a complete investigation into all necessary requirements and responsibilities. There are many qualified third-party firms available to provide services at reasonable costs for your USP797-compliant environmental testing programs such as microbial environmental sampling and laboratory analysis, clean room testing and certification, and certification and repair of biological safety cabinets, laminar airflow workbenches, and other bio-safety equipment.

Answer provided as a courtesy to USP797.org by RJ Lee Group, Inc. (RJLG) and/or associates of RJLG. We assume no liability for the use or interpretation of this information. Please note that USP797.org is not responsible for this answer.

Matthew Zock is an industrial hygienist with the technical consulting services group at RJ Lee Group, Inc. Mr. Zock provides a variety of industrial hygiene, health & safety, and environmental consulting services for heath care, general industry, and litigation support. He manages RJLG's USP 797 services including environmental sampling (microbial), hazardous drug monitoring, and facility design and operation audits. Mr. Zock received his Bachelors in Biology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and his Masters in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from Hunter College. He can be reached as follows:

Matthew Zock
RJ Lee Group, Inc.
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5820
New York, NY 10118
(212)613-2709
mzock@rjlg.com

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