Selecting a Suitable Disinfectant for your Hyperbaric Chamber

Francois Burman, PE, MSc, UHMSDSA / January 2025

Introduction

Selecting an appropriate, safe, and hyperbaric chamber friendly disinfectant is often mistakenly assumed as the most important action in controlling the spread of any harmful pathogens. Effective infection control requires all the following steps:

• Identify the pathogens of concern
• Avoid any physical contact with potentially infected surfaces or people
• Isolate suspected zones where pathogens might be present
• Control access to such isolated areas, ensuring anyone entering the area is suitably informed, instructed, and wearing appropriate personal protection equipment
• Quantify the life cycle of the pathogens
• Clean then disinfect infected surfaces and (where applicable) the breathing environment
• Dispose of all contaminated cleaning waste products properly
• Monitor compliance and effective control of the process

This article will focus on the selection of an effective, suitable disinfectant using a comprehensive list of criteria to ensure applicability in the hyperbaric chamber. Other means of destroying pathogens and additional aspects of the hyperbaric environment will be discussed.

Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

• Differentiate between cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing
• Select appropriate cleaning/disinfecting products
• Explain the effect of other disinfection processes

Approved Continuing Education

[Nurse] 1.0 contact hours. Provider approved by the California Board of Nursing. Provider number CEP17094.

[CHT] This program has been reviewed and is acceptable for 1.0 Category A credit hour by the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology.

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