Automated room decontamination: report of a Healthcare Infection Society Working Party

This report provides advice to hospital managers, hospital based service providers, infection prevention and control (IPC) teams and end users who intend to employ automated room decontamination devices as part of their IPC regimens. Conventional cleaning and disinfection approaches are long established and can be very effective if thorough, but recently automated systems have become available that offer the effectiveness and safety to supplement manual methods. Some chemicals such as formaldehyde have had a place within the contained laboratory setting for many years but are too toxic for use in patient areas. Biocidal ultraviolet C light has long been used to treat water systems, but whole-room treatment systems have become available following improved electrical safety and componentry. Although suppliers of fumigation systems have offered decontamination services for over 20 years, new companies have entered the marketplace providing a greater choice of machine designs, catering for different budgets and usage requirements. As a result of the growth in equipment availability the choice is now much greater. This brings consumer benefits but can also be confusing to the potential end user, who might not be familiar with the wealth of technical specifications for these specialized systems. This report is independent and aims to provide useful, generic information that will help healthcare professionals make a well-informed choice if they are intending to buy or rent/lease the automated technology. The aim is to provide guidance on the types of device available, the various active