Contamination: The Undetected Disaster
Yet - almost always hidden, the overlooked factor when developing a Disaster Prevention Plan…
All electronic equipment within computer room and areas surrounding the equipment are highly sensitive and the functions they perform are critical for business operations. Therefore the need for high levels of contamination control within the environments they are stored in is essential and a scheduled cleaning program is beneficial in controlling contamination.
Largest Sources of Contamination
FACT: Hard to believe, but people - skin cells, hair, contamination off of clothing, shoes, print material, etc. Contractors also more than not, are culprits for leaving foreign materials when work is being performed in sub floor areas.
Recommended: 4 Step Process
Determine the Contamination Level in the Equipment Room or Data Center: Does it meet Federal Standard 209e? This is done for all air quality particulate testing, with special metering devices to monitor the .5 and 5 micron particle sizes per the 209e standard. Other ranges can be tested, as required. This report is given before and again after the cleaning process for comparison of before vs. after results. NOTE: Some sites forego this step and go directly to the cleaning process, if regular cleanings are preformed at least once every 2 years.
Clean Sub Floor Void: If raised access flooring with down flow AC is being used, the sub-floor void is carefully cleaned using HEPA Filtered vacuums that remove contamination down to the .3 micron range and are 99.97% effective in eliminating dust particles of that size or larger. During this process all cables, conduits, pedestal assemblies, rigid grid stringers, floor tile edges, and all the sub floor is vacuumed and/or hand wiped.
Top Floor – Cleaned, Staticide Rinsed & Buffed: The top of the access floor is inspected for sticky residue, tape, gum, and any foreign matter by : “hands and knees” removal, prior to vacuuming and damp scrubbing. The areas next to any equipment will be cleaned by hand. After the floor is cleaned, a Staticide rinse is done. When the floor is dry, a low speed buffer is used to give the surface a light shine.
Equipment Hand Cleaned: The exterior of all equipment in the room will be carefully vacuumed and hand wiped. Careful attention and caution is taken around any switches, cable connections, and cooling fans.
Important Considerations
- At least $2,000.000 Liability Insurance & Workman’s Compensation Insurance
- Police Check & Clearance
- Terrorist Watch List Check
- Work Crew Checked for Citizenship -Extensively Trained to Work Around Operating Computer Equipment