Fire and Smoke Damper Validation and Testing
Ensuring the Safety and Integrity of Air Systems
Fire and smoke damper inspections are required for hospitals and other healthcare facilities and are essential to maintaining the safety and integrity of air systems.
Dampers are located in the air system ductwork, and prevent the spread of smoke or fire to other portions of the building through the air system. The frequency of fire and smoke damper inspections depends on regulatory requirements.
Fire and smoke damper inspection include the observation of each damper location, the exercising of the individual damper, compilation of a detailed report documenting all test results, observations, and any deficiencies requiring remediation. Inspections may also include photos of each damper location.
Hospital Accreditation Testing for Annual Recertification
Hospitals are required to perform annual testing of critical areas such as operating rooms, patients' rooms, patient isolation rooms, and decontamination rooms to comply with the regulations of their certifying accreditation agency.
Annual recertification testing usually consists of air testing and balancing of supply, return, and exhaust airflows for a particular critical room or area followed by a compilation of the documents required to determine the air changes per hour, and room differential pressures to all adjacent areas.
