Puhastustaseme

Puhastustaseme is a Finnish term used to describe the level of cleanliness or degree of purification of a space, surface, or process. It reflects how thoroughly contaminants such as dirt, dust, microbes, or chemical residues have been removed or controlled. The concept is widely used in healthcare, food production, pharmaceuticals, laboratories, and facility management to specify and verify hygiene requirements.

Setting the level typically involves cleaning and disinfection procedures, environmental controls, and, in regulated industries, compliance with standards. The exact scale or class is not universal; different sectors rely on standards that define permissible contamination levels or require specific validation. For example, cleanroom classifications under ISO 14644 describe performance-based cleanliness, while hospital or food safety guidelines specify acceptable levels of microbial load or residue.

Verification methods include visual inspection, surface sampling with microbiological culture or rapid tests, ATP testing for organic residues, and particle counting for air or surfaces. Documentation and routine auditing are common components of maintaining a defined puhastustaseme.

In practice, organizations specify a target puhastustaseme for a given area or process and implement procedures to achieve it, with adjustments based on risk, usage, and regulatory demands.

See also: Cleanroom, Hygiene, Sanitation, ISO 14644, GMP, HACCP.