📋 The Pre-Survey Checklist: 5 Drain & Utility Areas to Inspect Before Your Next Joint Commission Audit

When The Joint Commission (TJC) evaluates your Environment of Care, they don't just look at what's on the walls—they look at what’s inside them. Use this checklist to identify "Red Flag" areas in your utility and wastewater systems.

1. The "Scent Test" (Odor Control)

• The Check: Walk through your ER bays, Dialysis units, and public restrooms. Is there a faint smell of sulfur, stagnant water, or organic decay?

• The Compliance Risk: Foul odors often signal a breach in the plumbing trap or a significant accumulation of biofilm. Surveyors view persistent odors as a failure in "Utility Systems Management" (EC.02.05.01).

• The HES Solution: Our bio-based maintenance digests the organic source of the odor, eliminating it rather than masking it.

2. OR & SPD Drain Flow Rates

• The Check: Observe how quickly sinks and floor drains clear in the Operating Rooms and Sterile Processing Department.

• The Compliance Risk: Sluggish drains in sterile environments indicate a buildup of blood, tissue, and surgical debris. Slow drains are a "pre-clog" warning that can lead to a catastrophic backup during a procedure—a major operational safety violation.

• The HES Solution: Specialized enzymatic treatments to liquefy protein-based clogs unique to surgical environments.

3. Biofilm Presence in "Wet" Zones

• The Check: Inspect the visible portions of drains and sink rims for a "slimy" or discolored coating.

• The Compliance Risk: Biofilm is a reservoir for MDROs (Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms). The Joint Commission and CDC focus heavily on water-related pathogens (like Legionella or Pseudomonas) that thrive in these biofilms.

• The HES Solution: Proven bio-based chemistries that strip away biofilm and prevent it from re-attaching.

4. Chemical Safety & Storage

• The Check: Look at the chemicals used to maintain your drains. Are they caustic, acid-based, or labeled as hazardous?

• The Compliance Risk: Harsh chemicals pose a risk to staff (Safety) and can damage the facility's infrastructure over time. TJC prioritizes "Environmental Safety" and the use of safer, non-volatile alternatives.

• The HES Solution: Eco-friendly, bio-based alternatives that are safe for pipes and staff, aligning with "Safer Choice" initiatives.

5. Documentation of Proactive Maintenance

• The Check: Do you have a log showing that your drains and utility systems are maintained on a schedule, or are you only acting when a clog occurs?

• The Compliance Risk: Surveyors look for proactive management. If you only fix things when they break, you are not "reducing and managing risk" as required by EC.02.05.01.

• The HES Solution: HES provides the framework for a consistent, specialized maintenance program that makes your compliance efforts "audit-proof."