March 17, 1987
VA HANDBOOK 7610 (408)
Collection Room when are utilized. This room is not required when the laundry is
physically a part of the medical center building.
Space Required .............................................................................................................................. 2.4 x PP
(3) Clean Linen Cart Storage Room ............................................................................................... 4.3 x PP
For storage of clean linen carts before delivery. This room is not required when the
laundry is located within the medical center structure.
(4) Uniform Exchange Room (Automated) .....................................................................................Number of FTEs in
uniform x 0.38 + 80
(Minimum =
13.0 NSM (140 NSF))
Provides space for a prefabric ated automatic uniform dispenser. This area is
located in proximity to the staff ingress and egress areas of the medical facility and
is not normally part of the laundry plant. If more than one is to be established, use
the FTE number served by each location to calculate the NSM (NSF).
5. OPERATING RATIONALE (BASIS OF CRITERIA)
a. These criteria are based on research and analysis of both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and commercial
laundries and on consultation with laundry plant designers laundry equipment manufacturers. The latest advances in
equipment and laundry operations and the increased use of material handling equipment were also considered. The
equipment required for each functional area of the laundry were identified and the space requirements for the equipment,
circulation, and material handling were calculated. Four prototypical laundry designs for various sized laundries were
completed and served to validate or improve the space planning formulas.
b. Space determinations we re verified in the prototype designs and were utilized to develop the linear regression space
formulas. The following assumptions were used:
(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will not normally build laundries that are capable of processing more than 13
million pounds. If larger laundries are built, these criteria will need to be revalidated.
(2) Annual pounds are the number of kilograms/pounds of soiled linen generated by the facility (medical center) for 365
days or the number of kilograms/pounds processed by the laundry based on 260 days of operation per year.
(3) Laundries operate 5 days per week for 8 hours per day. Average equipment operating time is 5 days per week for 7
hours per day or 1,820 hours per year.
(4) Linen carts: Approximate size 915 mm by 1525 mm by 915 mm (3' x 5' x 3') high.
1 cubic foot of clean linen = 2.5 kg (5.4 pounds)
1 cubic foot of soiled linen = 3.4 kg (7.5 pounds)
c. Receiving Area - Soiled linen enters the receiving area in linen carts or t hrough a pneumatic tube system. The soiled
linen is stored until the carts be dumped onto an accumulation conveyor. The area is based on mathematical analysis using
two-variable statistical calculations generated from the four prototypical laundry designs.
Dock space is considered 3660 mm wide by 4575 mm deep (12' x 15') or 16.7 NSM (180 NSF) and includes a dock leveler
and circulation. The number of dock spaces were based on a consolidated laundry operation that has all the linen delivered
by tru ck. Dock spaces were provided to the following assumptions:
408-5
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