Construction Risk in Operational Hospitals

Book excerpt: No one goes to hospital to get sick. Hospitals are the places we seek treatment, to get better, have procedures, get vaccinated or visit an ailing friend or relative. And yet, once in hospital, as a patient or visitor alike, we can become susceptible to an increased risk of infection from a most unlikely source; construction dust. Hospitals are under constant pressure to upgrade, embrace new technology, expand their aging facilities and attract more patients. This has resulted with construction and maintenance works becoming a mainstay in operational hospitals. And often, there will be several projects underway at the same time. Some will replace or repair aging infrastructure, others will implement new technologies, install specialised equipment or seek to enhance their patient facilities. And whilst hospitals modernise, they are required to remain operational and provide an ongoing, consistent and safe patient care service. This mix, health care with construction works is risky as a lot can go wrong and a lot often does. So how should construction work in operational hospitals be undertaken to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of patients and occupants alike. How can disruption be minimised? How can the complexity of the works be more effectively managed? Are there specific focus areas? What data is required to gauge compliance and performance? How can construction issues and problems be quickly identified, rectified and not repeated? And, as construction works proceeds, what is required to ensure no harm is caused? In answering these questions, this book provides an insight into how construction risks can be effectively controlled whilst works are progressed, to be completed safely, without incident or disruption in operational hospitals.