The pharmaceutical industry is regularly exposed to dust, raw materials and other hazardous materials. All of these elements can leave contaminants in their wake and threaten the health and safety of staff and patients. Good air quality is critical.
Understanding the Risks of Poor Air Quality in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Excellent air quality is essential to the pharmaceutical industry, not only to the industry itself but to the health and safety of staff and patients. The highest of standards must be adhered to when it comes to air quality.
There are many different areas of the pharmaceutical industry where potential contamination could be hazardous to the health and safety of staff and patients and potentially even fatal. Consider, for example, pharmaceutical packaging equipment, where it is essential that strict sterility standards are achieved. When the sterilization process is compromised through bacteria or other sources of contamination (and ultimately poor air quality), the health and safety of staff and patients is put at risk. Anything that comes into contact with pharmaceutical products can be a source of contamination. Again, this is a major health risk, especially when it comes to injectables and infusions, which can tolerate absolutely no contamination or the results could be potentially life-threatening for patients.
Another risk of poor air quality is that staff, again, can become very ill due to exposure to various hazardous substances and chemicals present in the pharmaceutical working environment. One example here is nanoparticles, which workers become exposed to during the development of new products. The problem with nanoparticles is that because they are so small, they can be easily inhaled. This can cause serious health problems for staff, including inflammation and lung damage.
As you can see, pristine air quality is necessary for many areas of the pharmaceutical industry in order to protect staff and patients alike. As you will see below, a HEPA filter is often the first line of defence against poor air quality and the potential contaminants that can threaten the pharmaceutical industry and those involved.
What Can Be Done
Proper air filtration, particularly through the use of HEPA air filters, is critical for those in the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Pharmaceutical equipment must also have the proper filters, typically custom filters designed for this specific equipment.
The HEPA air filter is often used in these environments due to the fact that it is such a powerful filter capable of removing such small particles.
APC Filtration has been working in air filter design, engineering, manufacturing and testing for industrial, commercial and household equipment for over 35 years. We are a certified manufacturer. We develop a very powerful HEPA air filter, along with custom air filters, to protect those in the pharmaceutical industry. Contact us for more information.
