Why the walls of an operating room matter
Tile joints, gypsum and airborne contamination are all part of the infection risk. Antibacterial modular panels remove most of them.
Hospitals are among the places most affected by noise pollution, and it has real effects on patients and staff.
What noise does
Noise is an environmental stressor. The body reacts to it as it does to stress and heavy workload, which can disrupt health. Studies indicate that when a hospital's noise exceeds recommended levels, complications in patients are likely to increase. The effect on doctors and nurses is less well known, and just as real in a long shift.
What walls and doors contribute
Sound reduction is a property you can test and specify. For Rabin wall panels, the test certificate gives:
- R'w 44 dB without mineral fibre
- R'w 56 dB with mineral fibre
Door systems are made with noise protection too, and sealed seams reduce the paths sound takes between rooms.
R'w is the weighted sound reduction index of a building element. A higher number means less sound passes through.
Calm is part of a desirable health service. The comfort of patients during their stay supports recovery, and a quieter ward is also a safer place to work.
