How to Protect Active Cleanrooms During Demolition: A Negative Pressure Wall Case Study

Protecting a client's environment during demolition and renovation work has always been part of what we do at R. Baker & Son. Anyone in the industry knows ICRA protection, the barrier system used in hospitals to separate clean areas from active construction. Demolition airlocks serve a similar purpose, letting debris and materials move in and out of a controlled, negative-pressure environment without compromising the clean side. Clear separation between clean and dirty has always been the goal.

The Challenge: A Cleanroom That Couldn't Take Chances

One project made that goal harder than usual. A pharmaceutical client had a cleanroom corridor and clean equipment storage area sitting directly against a planned demolition and renovation zone. The R&D manager overseeing the space needed more than a standard separation wall to sign off. He was convinced that particulates would find a way into his cleanroom no matter how solid the barrier looked on paper. With strict internal protocols and a lot riding on contamination control, a wall alone wasn't going to cut it.

At the same time, he understood the demolition and renovation were necessary. The work would expand his space and support the facility's growing production needs. The challenge wasn't whether to do the project. It was proving the cleanroom would stay clean while it happened.

The Solution: A Monitored Negative Pressure Wall

Our demolition foreman and project manager designed a barrier that would do more than separate the two areas. It would let the client see and monitor cleanliness in real time.

We started with an airlock-style design and applied it to a 12-inch wall cavity, sealing the new protection wall completely at the floor and at the deck above. Once sealed, we installed a 450 CFM HEPA exhaust fan on the wall, along with filtered breather holes at the top to draw in cleaner air. A magnehelic gauge on the wall gave a constant, visible reading confirming the cavity was under negative pressure relative to the cleanroom side.

With the wall held negative, particulates and dust had nowhere to migrate. Any airborne contamination inside the cavity was pulled through the HEPA filter instead of drifting toward the clean area. The system also included a 90 dB local alarm that would sound if the filter needed changing or if the fan lost power, so the containment never went unmonitored.

The Result

We presented the design on paper first, walking the client through exactly how the negative pressure wall would protect his space before any work began. He approved the concept and stayed involved in monitoring the wall throughout construction. That level of transparency let us complete not just the demolition, but the full renovation scope, without ever raising a red flag in the R&D team's clean areas.

The client's comfort made the difference in how smoothly the project moved forward. We've since used this same negative pressure wall design on multiple projects where cleanroom or clean-space protection was non-negotiable.

 

Founded in 1935, R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services is a certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) - recognized as the oldest and largest M/WBE-certified demolition contractor in North America. We are your trusted partner for complex industrial and construction projects, specializing in heavy rigging, machinery moving, plant relocation, and expert crane erection, dismantling, and support services across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

With significant bonding capacity and an unmatched safety record backed by extensive involvement in OSHA VPP Star projects, we deliver precision and reliability to every job site. Our comprehensive services include heavy rigging, complex machinery installation and removal, plant relocation, industrial dismantling, and specialized support for high-reach and tower crane operations.

Discover why leading industrial and commercial clients rely on R. Baker & Son for safe, precise solutions to their most demanding heavy rigging and dismantling projects. Learn more about our expertise in demolition.