March 2-March 15, 2016
—
COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL
— Page 13B
H
ealth care
construction work
is a specialty. The
mechanical contractor, just like
the general contractor and other
trades, should be trained and
experienced in the complex
requirements of medical
facility construction. The key to
building a safe facility is rooted
in the upfront understanding of
hospital-specific requirements,
obtaining and maintaining
required or recommended
contractor certifications, and
investing in health-care-specific
safety training for all project
team members.
Mechanical systems.
Mechanical systems are the
backbone that create stable
health care environments.
Mechanical systems are involved
in sterilization, infection control,
imaging equipment, and
patient hygiene and comfort.
A mechanical contractor with
health care experience should
take the time to understand the
safety and security requirements
of each facility before beginning
work. The contractor should
serve as a mechanical adviser
and meet with the design team
and project owners regularly and
frequently – beginning on Day
One.
Maintaining a facility’s
operations during renovations
requires a nuanced approach.
Existing hospitals and health
care facilities must remain
operational to serve patients
throughout a renovation,
and this makes installing the
mechanical systems challenging.
A good contractor brings solid
trade skills; but what makes a
contractor truly stand out is
having a team that understands
and respects that special
measures must be taken to
protect the comfort and security
of patients and staff during the
renovation. It helps to have
specialized medical experience
in minimizing the noise and
environmental impacts of
construction.
Jobsite safety is the secret to
building reliable health care
facilities. “Compliance with
Health Insurance Portability and
Accessibility Act of 1996 HIPAA
privacy rules, infection control
procedures, interim life safety
measures, special certifications
and training such as ASSE 60
and NFPA 99 (specific to medical
gas systems) are paramount in
successfully completing health
care construction projects,” said
Randy Wainwright, CHC, LEED
AP, operations manager at RK
Mechanical.
As an example, RK Mechanical
requires all employees to be
fully trained and compliant
with facility standards before
qualifying to work on a health
care project team.
The evolution of delivery
methods and technologies is the
driving force in how health care
is provided and how facilities
are built. As science and the
understanding of infection
control, procedures and imaging
technologies advance, they
will push the planning, design
and construction of facilities
forward. It’s the project team’s
responsibility to stay on top of
required safety training and
certifications because lives
depend on it.
If you’re involved with major
renovations or with building a
new hospital or medical facility,
consult your general contractor
and ensure that he hires a
specialty mechanical contractor
that understands the complex
mechanical systems, safety
requirements and operational
needs of health care facilities.
Heather Gallien
Director of marketing and
communications,
RK Mechanical, Denver
A medical installation at Banner Health in Fort Collins
