Best Practices for Conducting Construction in Working Healthcare Facilities
Construction is a practice that requires much care and it is one of the most sensitive activities as it involves peoples’ lives operating in the constructed structures. Construction practices are the best since they bring up new structures and repair damaged facilities. Construction activities can be carried out in various places some of which need much care and proper handling. It is quite challenging to renovate health and hospital facilities that are currently in use as the construction can bring disruption. The article below is a good guide for hospital management and their contractors to conduct construction with minimum disruptions for physicians, patients, and staff.
Firstly, constructing a preliminary assessment of the place before demolition begins. The construction team should consider a prior investigation as a crucial activity. A preliminary inspection will enable the team to have a good picture of the location of the utilities, possible issues, general knowledge of the site and the problems that may be facing the organization. It will help them familiarize themselves with the environment in the space. It is at this time the contractors should check the medical facilities to attain the right lead paint, asbestos and other equipment needed for the construction.
Secondly, the development of provisional life safety planning to meet the facility’s needs. A draft of a life welfare plan should be given to the concerned facility for approval. Posting of the ILSP proven should be conducted and in a noticeable place. It is responsible for providing information like emergency egress, existing wall ratings, and temporary partition ratings. It also displays information about the project, its environment, the pathways to temporal important services and the entrance.
Thirdly, understanding the control of infections, requirements for risk assessment and ensuring they are fulfilled. Before constructions start a meeting for infection control with the concerned facility should be conducted and also deep risk assessment processes be considered. The contractors should be concerned with the work scope of the project, the time the project is supposed to be finished and where the project is located are some of the things the contractors should ask during the meeting. It is also for contractors to comply with procedures for risk management such as vibration and noise monitoring.
Finally, the constructor should be able to provide proper project documentation. A proper closeout for the project should be given out together with the facility by the contractors at the end of the project. The design reviewed by inspecting assistance should be followed by the contractors to come up with the required facility. Before the site inspection, the contractor with his project team should assemble the first proper documentation both soft and hard copies. Contractors for the test and materials certificate for inflight piping and certificate of occupancy should not miss for a contractor to be accepted. In conclusion, though there are thousands of top practices undertaken before construction, the enlisted points the most applicable and forms a part of any successful hospital project.