The Responsible Builder’s Guide to Surface Protection for Hospital Renovation Projects
Although the construction industry was badly damaged by the Great Recession, there is one area in particular where business is growing; construction and rehabilitation of hospitals. Due to the increasing demand for healthcare services from aging baby boomers, hospital construction and renovation projects have increased dramatically in the last ten years and will continue to grow in the future. According to McGraw-Hill Construction Research and Analytics, healthcare construction increased six percent during 2011, outpacing the overall non-residential construction market. Although undertaking a hospital renovation project can be very lucrative, there are many important rules and regulations that require full compliance by the contractor. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in lawsuits or worse, death of hospital patients. To avoid a calamity, there are several extremely important things to know when starting your renovation.
First, builders must meticulously contain dust disturbed by renovation activities. Allowing airborne particles to circulate through the hospital could mean the death of sensitive patients. At a hospital renovation job at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Inc. in Tampa, FL, three children battling leukemia, ages two, five and nine, died after contracting fungal infections. The pathogenic fungi were released and circulated through the air conditioning systems of the construction activities downstairs. To avoid tragic scenarios like this, builders must contain dust particles as much as possible.
Second, when accessing electrical panels and roof wiring, subcontractors must use mobile negative air pressure containment units to completely contain dust. Mobile Containment Units are small, portable enclosures that allow builders to access ceiling and wall panels without allowing particles generated from sanding, drilling, etc. to circulate through the air. Some companies allow contractors to rent mobile containment units, but for large-scale projects, investing in one or two will save time and money in the long run. For more details on mobile containment, contact your local surface protection providers.
Another important aspect of dust control for primary contractors on the renovation project is preventing the spread of dust from subcontractors. Large-scale renovations generally require tens or hundreds of workers, and since meticulously preventing the spread of dust is so critical, all of these workers must go to great lengths to avoid contamination. Employee education is a great place to start, along with the requirement that workers wear personal protection. To help you comply with regulation, there are several products that can make a big difference; sticky floor mats, shoe covers and overalls. Require subcontractors to wear new shoe covers and pairs as often as necessary. Install a sticky mat at each doorway. Many sticky pads are inexpensive and available in packs of four with thirty pages on each pad, so be sure to replace sticky sheets often.
A third important point is to know the fire resistance requirements of your protection materials. When installing Zipwall ™ dust control systems or protecting a newly installed concrete floor, use products that are certified fire resistant to avoid violating regulations. Large 4 ‘x 8’ sheets of fire-resistant corrugated plastic are also great for protecting wall panels, floors, doors, and more. Coverguard ™ is another great choice for a fire resistant floor protection product that meets hospital renovation requirements.
These are just a few tips for preventing dust and protecting valuable accessories during hospital renovation projects. For more information, contact Pat Mullen at Builders Site Protection and visit OSHA’s website for easy-to-follow guidelines to fully understand and comply with regulations.