What are the legal implications and corporate responsibility in respect to to HVAC Hygiene Standards?
The Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011 defines the duties to ensure the health and safety of workers. This includes the management of risks, the provision and maintenance of safe plant and structures. It sets out that a person conducting a business or undertaking has the responsibility to provide a clean safe work environment. This includes Air Quality, Temperature and any other issue that may affect a workers health or safety.
The responsibilities of a facility manager relating to the ongoing maintenance of a building’s HVAC system are outlined in the applicable Australian standard AS/NZS 3666 (Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4), AS 1668 and AS 1851 which are used as references in this area as well as the AIRAH Best Practice Guideline on HVAC Hygiene.
| HVAC COMPONENT | INSPECT | CLEANED / REPLACED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor air intakes and exhausts | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Air filters | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Humidifiers | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Evaporative air-cooling equipment | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Sump | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Wetted pads | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Water strainer | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Air filter | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Drainage system | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Ducts and components | |||
| Coils | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Trays and sumps | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Condensate drains, tundishes, and traps | Monthly | When Necessary | |
| Ductwork | Annually | When Necessary | |
| Fans | 3 Months | When Necessary | |
| Terminal units inc. coils | Annually | When Necessary | |
| Terminal units components including coils | Annually | When Necessary | |
| Return air and relief air grilles | Annually | When Necessary | |
The title of this standard is “Air-handling and water systems of buildings – Microbial control Part 2: Operation & maintenance“. As the title indicates, it’s critical that HVAC systems and air-handling systems are maintained in order to control microorganisms accumulating in a building's air system.
As can be seen above, the standard explicitly mentions the following 5 parts of an HVAC system that must be part of a maintenance program:
1 – OUTDOOR AIR INTAKES & EXHAUSTS
Frequency – Monthly
Inspect, clean or replace where necessary.
2 – AIR FILTERS
Frequency – Monthly
Inspect, clean or replace where necessary.
3 – HUMIDIFIERS
Frequency – Monthly
Inspect, clean or replace where necessary.
4 – EVAPORATIVE AIR-COOLING EQUIPMENT
Frequency – At least every 3 Months
Inspect, clean or replace where necessary.
5 – DUCTS & COMPONENTS
Frequency – Depending on component between 1 Month & 12 months
Inspect, clean or replace where necessary.
Components include:
- Coils
- Trays & Sumps
- Condensate drains, tundishes & traps
- Ductwork
- Fans
- Terminal Units
- Supply air outlets
- Return air & relief air grilles
The standard also outlines the need for the existence of Maintenance Manuals and Maintenance Records.
The Maintenance Manual should include details of the maintenance management program including plant servicing, cleaning schedules, and replacement periods for equipment items and components.
Maintenance Records should include:
- Date and nature of service performed.
- Results of periodic testing.
- Details of defects found and remedial procedure undertaken.
- The name of the person and company performing the service.
Maintenance manuals and Maintenance Service Records shall be readily available at the site for inspection by regulatory authority upon request.
For the purpose of maintenance management, the maintenance service records shall be retained for a period as required by the regulatory authority.
A Clean-Air, HVAC Hygiene Specialist, can manage all your HVAC maintenance requirements and compile maintenance records which ensures that a building, hospital or factory is compliant.
For Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning, see our AS 1851-2012 Checklist here
For full details of Clean-Air's HVAC Hygiene Operating Standards and Practices, visit our dedicated page here