| Containment Unit, Cleaning and Decontamination: |
Referring to fungi mitigation and remediation (abatement), a containment-unit are typically the critical barrier and equipment used during the removal of fungi contamination process. Cleaning and decontamination of the containment-unit refers to the appropriate methods necessary for the collection of all migrant and settled spores and other contaminates on and in the containment-unit. Education Note: A containment-unit may include a second critical barrier containment-unit, other than the primary critical barrier containment-unit, which consists of a temporary built plastic room or plastic sealing off another room, which then becomes plastic-sealed off from the primary contamination area. The secondary containment-unit maintains its own 'separate' air pressure from the main contamination zone or area. The secondary containment-unit is a staging area, where fungal contaminated building materials, already plastic bagged, are stored, and are waiting removal from the building. The secondary containment-unit is the main entry and access between the outside and the main contamination zone or area, as well as the exit and egress to the building. Mitigation Note: Both the primary and secondary containment-units cleaning and decontamination, requires a combination of surface HEPA vacuuming, followed by surface cleaning, using damp wiping (with a minimum of water), to remove settled and migrant dusts and spores before safely dismantling the containment-unit(s). The remediation practitioners must carefully consider the necessity and advisability of applying biocides, such as bleach, when cleaning and sanitizing the containment-unit. The goal of the remediation program must be to remove all microbial growth that was part of the project, and this includes the contamination migrant in the containment-unit. Caution Note: The consulting industrial hygienist associated with the remediation project must consider the efficacy of all antimicrobial agents and their contact time and removal. Health and Safety Note: Neither the primary remediation and abatement containment-unit or the secondary support entry and egress containment-unit, can be used for employee rest and removal of PPE. Only exiting from both of the containment-units and after decontamination, can removal of PPE be considered appropriate. See Critical Barrier during Fungal Abatement, Full-scale Fungi Decontamination-Unit. |