What goes into a decontamination unit?

A decontamination unit has a significant number of component parts, divided up into the three key compartments plus functional services.

Clean Compartment

1. Entry / Exit door to outside – clearly marked “CLEAN” on the outside.
2. 1 x locker per person
3. Seating
4. RPE battery charging point
5. Clothes hanging hooks
6. Mirror
7. High level ventilation from outside with closable louvre
8. Low level vent to shower compartment
9. Self-closing door to shower compartment
10. Space heating
11. Electric Lighting
12. Readily cleanable impervious surfaces for walls, ceiling, floor.

 

Shower Compartment

1. Thermostatically regulated shower (permitted ratio: 4 users per shower point – not all at once!)
2. Hanging hooks or rails for RPE and towels
3. Body wash/shampoo  – note: bar soap is not recommended as it will prematurely block waste-water filtration systems, especially in hard-water areas.
4. Low-level vents / louvers from clean compartment.
5. High level vents exiting to dirty compartment.
6. Two self-closing doors, one to clean compartment and one to dirty compartment.
7. Sink for handwash.
8. Electric lighting.
9. Readily cleanable impervious surfaces for walls, ceiling, floor

 

Dirty Compartment

1. Low level HEPA grade air filtration/extract unit, marked as compliant to either PAS60 or BS8520, and supplied with filtration test certificate
2. High level ventilation from the shower compartment, equipped with non-return flaps
3. Seating
4. Clothes hanging hooks
5. Self-closing door to shower compartment
6. Self-closing Entry / Exit door to work area clearly marked “DIRTY” on the outside.
7. Electric lighting
8. Readily cleanable impervious surfaces for walls, ceiling, floor

Functional services for decontamination units

1. Water heater delivering hot water to the shower (if LPG then room-sealed balanced-flue water heater complete with GasSafe certificate)
2. Electrical circuits protected by 30mA RCCD
3. Waste water filtration (dependant on application)