Problem: Maintaining air quality is essential to meeting criteria for cleanroom standards, and air quality cannot be measured without also measuring the air flow within the cleanroom environment. Specialized tools are required to gather the readings that represent the air flow through the ventilation systems, as well as a solid understanding of those systems.
Solution: There are several types of ventilation system setups commonly used in cleanrooms — each of which are put in place to remove contaminants from the environment and help meet and maintain cleanroom standards. It is necessary to check the air flow of those ventilation systems periodically, as many factors can affect the movement of air over time, such as buildups in the ducts, leaks, aging and worn fans and pumps, etc. Here we identify the most common types of ventilation systems used in cleanrooms and the most appropriate instrumentation to monitor the airflow throughout those systems.
When bringing equipment into the cleanroom, ensure that you observe the following: All cleanroom users should ensure that they consult the cleanroom manager before they bring any equipment and processes into the cleanroom. This cannot be stressed enough! The monitoring of equipment and processes going into the cleanroom is an important part of the general contamination control of the cleanroom. If bringing equipment or processes into the cleanroom ensure that you follow the detailed procedures listed below.
Contact Plates – as mentioned are special Petri dishes which contain sterile growth medium prepared in a manner so the surface of the media protrudes above the rim of the plate. The contact plate is pressed against any flat surface the needs to be sampled. Any viable microorganisms on the surface will stick to the agar surface and will grow upon proper incubation. This technique reveals the number of viable microorganisms on a surface.
Phase Five: Monitor & Control
A constant monitoring program is required after certification.
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