A hospital may be one of the most challenging environments for a renovation project. Contractors in these scenarios don’t have the luxury of closing down the facility while they work. Health services must remain available to patients even during construction, which means there is a lot more risk for all parties involved.
Construction workers and hospital staff must be hyper-aware of their surroundings and perform their regular duties with added restrictions. Additionally, because many of the patients have compromised health conditions, anything that could affect their recovery is a major concern. Along with potential contamination, workers must be sensitive to noise and other disruptions that could have a negative impact on a person’s healing process.
This is why following an occupied building construction safety protocol is absolutely essential in these situations. Establishing a strict program for hospital construction safety means crews can perform their jobs without putting those receiving care in jeopardy.
How These Protocols Work
Hospitals must be in use 24/7, with patients continually cycling in and out of the available rooms. Because of this consistent level of demand on space, the core of a hospital renovation safety protocol must include planning and scheduling.
This means that renovations must be carried out in phases. Smaller portions of the facility should be fully completed before crews move on to the next section, rather than attempting to perform partial work on larger areas with overlapping timelines.
What’s more, each segment must have strict containment control procedures. These include temporary wall partitions, pressure monitoring, infection control risk assessment barriers, air filtering, noise abatement and other security measures. Implementing these strategies can protect contractors as well as staff and patients.
Where Lighting Fits Into These Plans
Hospitals and other health care facilities cannot go without lighting, even as renovation projects interrupt other functions in the building. Proper illumination is crucial to ensure a safe and healing environment. Doctors and other caregivers need to see what they are doing clearly in order to provide the best possible care. Patients need to be comfortable and calm so they can receive the greatest benefits from their treatment.
From a property management perspective, upgrading the lighting systems is often a major component of the remodeling plans because new energy-efficient options can reduce operating costs. Retrofitting your framework can be a smart way for facilities to meet lighting regulations during construction.
Litetronics offers a range of LED Retrofit Kits that can be installed into existing fluorescent troffers. With our kits, workers likely won’t need to open the ceiling plenum to remove and replace the older components. By upgrading to LEDs, hospitals can gain the benefit of this technology without the risk of exposing patients to debris and particulates that may be released through a more intensive and intrusive process.
Litetronics provides expert solutions that make following safety protocols easier for contractors working in these delicate environments. To learn more about what we can do for you, get in touch with us today!