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Reducing HAIs One of the most challenging aspects of designing plumbing solutions for healthcare facilities is the need to reduce the spread of HAIs. In general, separate toilet facilities are provided for the use of patients, staf and visitors, which does help limiting exposure to patient infection. Many manufacturers are also making an ef ort to produce fi xtures that help in further reducing HAIs. Touchless fi xtures, such as sensor-operated faucets, sinks, toilets, fl ushometer valves and dispensers, limit the need for patients and medi- cal staf to touch potentially infected areas. In fact, most states require that sinks be touchless for exactly this reason. Top-facing sensors on patient toilets limit the patient's need to touch the fl ushometer, while also ensuring the toilet does not fl ush un- necessarily — a situation that could result in the spread of bacteria via "fl ush plume" should a patient be seated on the toilet when it unneces- sarily fl ushes. Because of not draw- ing from ambient air, laminar fl ow Safe, working restrooms are a critical part of any building, but in a healthcare environment, sound restroom plumbing design is even more important. Special attention must be given to reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections, while also ensuring reliable access to water, even in times of emergency. Numerous codes and standards govern the design of plumbing systems within healthcare facilities, and many standards vary by state. On the most basic level, certain states may require a minimum number of fi xtures to be installed, based on the number of licensed beds in the facility. More complex standards will govern things like the use of specifi c piping materials, domestic waste piping and storage, domestic water piping, plumbing fi xtures and trims. The following are a few of the most important items to keep in mind when designing plumbing for health- care restrooms. controls (as opposed to aerated fl ow controls) further reduce the introduc- tion of airborne bacteria. Vacuum toilets eliminate the creation of the fl ush plume, thereby further avoiding the spread of bacteria. According to one NSF International study, some vacuum toilets have been shown to produce no detectable level of bacteria on the seat or surrounding area after fl ushing. One potential downside of vacuum toilets is requiring a vacuum piping system to be installed. Unlike gravity waste piping, vacuum piping can be routed vertically and horizontally, which adds further fl exibility to the plumbing design. Fixture surfaces hold the ability to prevent HAIs. For example, some sinks are being manufactured with copper- nickel; copper surfaces actually serve as an antimicrobial and kill bacteria on the surface fi xture. Waste systems Certain states may restrict the use of certain materials, such as PVC, ABS or PEX, when used with domestic waste. When used with waste, PVC may begin to burn. In addition, the provision of an emergency sanitary drainage is re- quired. This is defi ned as an on-site emergency waste holding tank suf - cient to store 150 gallons of waste water per licensed bed. healthcare restrooms Spotlight BY RONALDO MAGNO Plumbing best practices, codes support healthy hospital restrooms Solid Backbones 24 Medical Construction & Design | M AY/ J U N E 2015 | MCDM AG.COM