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A clean room is a controlled environment, typically with a low level of pollutants. Clean rooms are generally used in manufacturing and scientific research, and different uses require different clean room classification. The lower the level of pollutants like airborne microbes, dust, chemical vapors, and aerosol particles per cubic meter or air, the lower the ISO number. For example, a typical cubic meter of ambient city air contains up to 35 million particles that are .5 millimeters or larger per cubic meter. That amount of pollutants inside a room would be classified as an ISO 9. Who Uses Clean Rooms? Clean rooms are used in a variety of industries, but they are primarily used in industries in which small particles can adversely affect manufacturing. For example, clean rooms are commonly used in pharmaceutical production, medical device production, and in manufacturing for the aerospace and military industries. What about Those Working in Clean Rooms? Working in a clean room requires extensive training in contamination control. Depending on the work being done within a clean room, the staff may be required to enter and exit the room through airlocks. They may also be required to use air showers and gowning rooms before entering or fully exiting the space. They may also be required to wear special clothing. Clean room clothing or garments prevent substances from the wearer from contaminating the room. The clothing is made using fibers that won’t release particles in the clean room. In lighter controlled clean rooms, specialized clothing may include things like hair nets and lab coats. In the most tightly-controlled clean rooms, they may be required to wear garments designed to trap contaminants generated by the skin, or they may have to wear layered suits with self-contained breathing equipment. Other clean room garments may include boots, shoes, face masks, gloves, and show covers. How Does It Work? Clean rooms maintain purer environments through the use of different air filters supplying air to space. Some rooms use HEPA filters and others use ULPA filters. These filtering systems, depending on the level of purity required, encompass the room’s entire air distribution system. The goal is to keep the outside environment from getting into the clean room. What Items Can Cause Contamination? A good clean room design should prevent most sources of potential contamination. When designers craft a clean room to specification, they must keep in mind the myriad of ways a room can be contaminated. They must consider preventing contamination from the materials used to build the building like ceiling tiles and paint. They must also consider people who will be working in the space. Things like skin flakes and skin oil, perfume, and cosmetics are common contaminants. And even the tools the people will be using to create contaminates an area. Things like friction from tools and lubricants can be sources of contamination. Designers must also carefully examine what clean room classification is necessary for the industry of business for which the room is being created.
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