An ICRA is a multidisciplinary, organizational documented process intended to reduce infection risks during all phases of facility planning, design, construction, renovation and facility maintenance. The ICRA 2.0 precautions matrix is the recently updated tool that is used by whoever is planning and implementing the construction. ASHE members and non-members can download a copy of… Read more »
Safety Organizations in California and Kansas Are First to Approve STARC Systems’ FireblockWall™
The California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) and the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal accepts the first reusable one-hour fire-rated containment solution for occupied renovations
What is ICRA 2.0?
The use of infection control risk assessments (ICRAs) during healthcare construction projects has been a work in progress spanning several decades.
ICRA 2.0: Eliminating Guesswork for Safer Healthcare Renovations
By JANET HAAS, PhD, RN, CIC, Principal Consulting Epidemiologist, Innovative Infection Prevention Facility managers, infection preventionists and contractors have been using infection control risk assessments (ICRA) for preventing infections related to healthcare construction and renovations since the 1996 Facilities Guideline Institute’s (FGI) Guidelines for Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities recommended them. However, the application… Read more »
Healthcare Construction Recovery: Managing Past Uncertainty
Healthcare contractors, facilities managers and others tasked with keeping healthcare renovation projects on schedule and on budget have had their hands full. Yet despite the challenges wrought by inflation, supply chain issues and labor shortages, there are reasons to be hopeful and strategies you can use to thrive through the uncertain year ahead.
Who oversees ICRA guidelines for hospital construction?
Hospitals typically employ safety personnel to prioritize patient safety and to ensure that doctors, nurses and staff can do their jobs in a safe environment.
What is a Class A Fire Rating?
What Class A Fire Rating Means & Why It Matters The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifies a burn test (E84) to determine surface burning and smoke generation characteristics of materials used in interior construction. A Class A fire rating represents the highest rating achievable, indicating a flame spread of 0-25 and smoke… Read more »
AIIRs Explained: Negative Air Isolation Rooms for Infection Control
Updated September 4, 2025 Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIRs) play a critical role in protecting patients, staff, and visitors from airborne diseases. In healthcare settings, especially during renovations or patient surges, AIIRs are essential for maintaining infection control and meeting compliance standards. What is an AIIR? An Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR), also called a… Read more »
What is a Fire-Rated Wall?
What Comprises a Fire-Rated Wall? Designed to contain fire and smoke for a predetermined amount of time, fire-rated walls are part of a building’s passive fire protection system. Whether permanent or temporary, these walls are inspected against applicable code by the appropriate regulatory authorities, with the goal of preventing fire from spreading from one part… Read more »
Healthcare Construction Lessons Learned From 2021: Reader Favorites
Welcome to 2022! As we kick off the New Year, let’s give a quick nod to some of the most relevant topics covered over the past 12 months. Following are the Top Five blog posts that resonated most with our growing audience of commercial contractors, project managers, facilities managers, infection preventionists, and others tasked with… Read more »