Lloydminster Hospital’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is functioning once again after a massive storm last month.
Prairie North Health Region (PNHR) officials said rain flooded ducts in the basement and crawl space on June 9, leading to repairs and temporary air cooling units.
READ MORE: Storm flooding impacts Lloydminster Hospital’s surgical services
As an interim solution, temporary ducts have been installed and the HVAC system is currently delivering about two-thirds the volume of air it usually can through the permanent lines.
“We received clearance over the past weekend to restore HVAC service to the entire hospital,” Gloria King, PNHR vice-president of integrated health services, said in a press release.
“Test results for the presence of any potential contaminants in the system came back negative, allowing us to proceed with the switch back to our in-house system.”
PNHR officials also announced on Wednesday that its certified indoor environmental consultant is responding to current test results that show elevated levels of separate types of spores at two locations in the hospital.
“According to our expert, neither result is in a range to be of risk to the health and safety of staff and patients,” King said.
“The spores are anticipated to have come in on persons or objects. The areas are being inspected and further sampled. Any remediation required will be implemented.”
READ MORE: Saskatchewan dividing doses of yellow fever vaccine because of shortage
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- 3 women diagnosed with HIV after ‘vampire facials’ at unlicensed U.S. spa
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
Health region officials said 110 samples have been taken throughout Lloydminster Hospital since June 9 and all results indicate air quality standards have been met.
“As our air quality expert explained, a single isolated spore in a sample from one snapshot of time and location is not an indicator of compromised air quality throughout the building,” King said.
“If a spore was present throughout the building, it would be evident in more than one sample … particularly now that the building system is once again functioning.”
Air quality monitoring is ongoing.
Work toward replacing the permanent ducts is underway.
Comments