The New Operation and Maintenance of Health Care Facilities Standard, CSA Z8002-19
How well does the Canadian healthcare system work? Did you know that regardless of the political debate, Canada boasts one of the highest life expectancies (about 82 years) and lowest infant mortality rates of industrialized countries according to the World Health Organization? It is true that the wait times tend to be longer than in other countries, but Canada has started taking steps to address this a decade ago. Among other aspects, there was a call for standardization of data and definitions.
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| The Old Saint John’s Hospital in Bruges, Belgium |
Proper operation and maintenance of a health care facility (HCF) are essential to the safe and effective delivery of services to patients and to the health and safety of personnel. The Canadian Standards Association, CSA, develops standards through a consensus standards development process approved by the Standards Council of Canada. This process brings together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus and develop a standard.
CSA recently released the new CSA Z8002-19 standard that describes the requirements, including quality system requirements, for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of a HCF. It sets out specific requirements for buildings and architectural systems, site elements related to the building and its functions, including on-site access routes, on-site utilities, the building’s mechanical, electrical, information technology, security systems, life safety systems, building services and interfaces for installed equipment, both medical and non-medical as well as many more. Ensuring maximum safety, efficiency and effectiveness depends on the O&M functions being executed by qualified personnel using a well-organized and documented system. This Standard establishes requirements for the HCF as a whole.
CSA Z8002 is part of the Z8000 Series of standards on health care facility design and construction, which also includes:
- Z8000, Canadian health care facilities standard that describes essential elements and specific requirements for the planning, design, and construction of HCFs, both public and private; and
- Z8001, Commissioning of health care facilities standard that provides requirements for the commissioning of health care facilities and all related building systems.
At the core of Z8002 is a coordinated operation and maintenance program (COMP), which aims to identify health care facility elements that require O&M and to ensure each element is continuously supported and monitored. There is also on-site training available based on Z8002. The training is delivered at your place of business and can be customized to meet your specific requirements. Learn More about CSA Z8002 Training.
