Ventilation Requirements for Areas Affecting Patient Care in Hospitals & Outpatient Facilities

Area Designation

Air movement relative to adjacent space²

Minimum air changes per hour OSA³

Minimum total air changers per hour^{4, 5}

All air exhausted to outside⁶

Recirculate air by means of room units⁷

Relative humidity⁸ %

Design temperature⁹
F°
C°

Surgery & Critical Care

Operating/surgical cystoscopic rooms ^{10, 11}

Out

3

15

—

No

30-60

68-73
20-23

Delivery room ¹⁰

Out

3

15

—

No

30-60

68-73
20-23 ¹²

Recovery room ¹⁰

—

2

6

—

No

30-60

70-75
21-24

Critical & intensive care

—

2

6

—

No

30-60

70-75
21-24

Newborn intensive care

—

2

6

—

No

30-60

72-78
22-26

Treatment room ¹³

—

—

6

—

—

75
24

Trauma room ¹³

Out

3

15

—

No

30-60

70-75
 21-24

Anesthesia gas storage

In

—

8

Yes

—

—

—

Endoscopy

In

2

6

—

No

30-60

68-73
20-23

Bronchoscopy ¹¹

In

2

12

Yes

No

30-60

68-73
20-23

ER waiting room

In

2

12

Yes ^{14, 15}

—

—

70-75
21-24

Triage

In

2

12

Yes ¹⁴

—

—

70-75
21-24

Radiology waiting rooms

In

2

12

Yes ^{14, 15}

—

—

70-75
21-24

Nursing

Procedure room

Out

3

15

—

No

30-6-

70-75
21-24

Patient room

—

2

6 ¹⁶

—

—

—

70-75
21-24

Toilet room

In

—

10

Yes

—

—

—

Newborn nursery suite

—

2

6

—

No

30-60

72-78
22-26

Protective environment room ^{11, 17}

Out

2

12

—

No

—

75
24

Airborne infection isolation room ^{11, 18}

In

2

12

Yes ¹⁵

No

—

75
24

Isolation alcove or anteroom ^{17, 18}

In / Out

—

10

Yes

No

—

—

Labor/delivery/recovery

—

2

6 ¹⁶

—

—

—

70-75
21-24

Labor/delivery/ recovery/postpartum

—

2

6 ¹⁶

—

—

—

70-75
21-24

Patient corridor

—

—

2

—

—

—

—

Ancillary

Radiology

X-ray (surgical/critical care & catheterization)

Out

3

15

—

No

30-60

70-75
21-24

X-ray (diagnostic & treatment)

—

—

6

—

—

—

75
24

Darkroom

In

—

10

Yes

No

—

—

Laboratory

General ¹⁹

—

—

6

—

—

—

75
24

Biochemistry ¹⁹

Out

—

6

—

No

—

75
24

Cytology

In

—

6

Yes

No

—

75
24

Glass washing

In

—

10

Yes

—

—

—

Histology

In

—

6

Yes

No

—

75
24

Microbiology ¹⁹

In

—

6

Yes

No

—

75
24

Nuclear medicine

In

—

6

Yes

No

—

75
24

Pathology

In

—

6

Yes

No

—

75
24

Serology

Out

—

6

—

No

—

75
24

Sterilizing

In

—

10

Yes

—

—

—

Autopsy room ¹¹

In

In

—

12

Yes

No

—

Nonrefrigerated body-holding room

In

—

10

Yes

—

—

70
21

Diagnostic & Treatment

Pharmacy

Out

—

4

—

—

—

—

Examination room

—

—

6

—

—

—

75
24

Medication room

Out

—

4

—

—

—

—

Treatment room

—

—

6

—

—

—

—