Health Sector News
Crisis averted when chiller fails
Engineers from Andrews Sykes’ Chiller Hire Division were quick to respond recently to a call from a prominent Kent hospital already under severe pressure to cope with increasing patient demand when its chiller broke down without warning.
Some of the key facilities affected by lack of cooling were a urology centre, a vascular unit, and a cardiac catheter suite. The unexpected breakdown meant operations and specialist treatments would be cancelled or delayed unless a temporary solution could be found quickly. Andrews Chiller Hire – with one of the
UK’s largest chiller hire fleets – was contacted, and a regional technician visited the hospital the same day the emergency call for help was received, and recommended the use of a 100 kW chiller. Its engineers worked through the night to install the temporary chiller, positioning it at ground level outside the premises, with hoses running up to the second floor for
Letter to the editor
I was interested to read John Barker’s very helpful article in the June edition of HEJ, ‘Humidity control key for many reasons’, and I agree that the decision to use humidification should be an informed one. I also note the inclusion of adiabatic humidifiers in this article, albeit with a warning that they are inappropriate for theatres. John Barker informs the reader that antibacterial measures are necessary for such units, which in my opinion disqualifies them for healthcare applications because they do not represent an ALARP (as low as
reasonably practicable) approach. While there are energy benefits, the microbiological risk could be eliminated (by choosing steam humidification, if any is necessary), rather than controlled. The COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations require one ‘to consider elimination first, rather than control’.
Dr Nick Hill
BSc, MSc, MBA(Oxon), PhD, DIC, CBiol MRSB, FIHEEM, Authorising Engineer (Water), and chair of the IHEEM Water Technical Platform.
Anti-climb fascia for roofline protection’s form and function
A new anti-climb bullnose fascia system – ‘particularly suitable for hospitals, clinics, and secure facility environments’ – and designed to protect rooflines from unauthorised access and vandalism, is now available from Contour. The company said: “The anti-climb bullnose fascia delivers perfectly in both form and function. An elegant design provides a contemporary finish to a building exterior, while fulfilling the core objective of providing a virtually unscaleable roofline.”
Key features include the fascia’s ability ‘to work in conjunction with almost any guttering system’, its suitability for both new build and renovation projects, a heavy duty integrated internal framework, and main bullnose panels manufactured from 3 mm thick pressed and rolled aluminium
16 Health Estate Journal September 2016
alloy. For environments at high risk of abuse or damage, mild steel or stainless steel versions are available. An integrated box gutter and downpipe complete the system. The photo shows an anti-climb fascia at Dorothy Pattison Hospital, Walsall, which provides inpatient services and health- based places of safety. To ensure that it complied fully with its duty of care, the hospital installed an anti-climb solution on a building overlooking an open air rest area to ensure that the roofline remained secure.
coupling to the existing faulty chiller’s flow and return connections. The redundant hospital chiller was then available for repair and maintenance while the Andrews chiller fulfilled its duties. The gradual expansion of specialist departments at the Kent hospital has led to as many as 400,000 people using the facility each year.
TB+A rewarded for ‘social responsibility’
Consulting building services and engineering partnership, Troup Bywaters + Anders (TB+A), has been crowned winner of the Excellence in Social Responsibility (Up to 249 employees) category at the annual Investors in People Awards 2016. TB+A said: “The Excellence in Social
Responsibility category recognises organisations for which social responsibility is not just a policy; rather it is driven from the top, and rooted in the culture of the organisation.” Troup Bywaters + Anders received its award at the ceremony held in London at Old Billingsgate, hosted by comedian Sally Phillips. Partner, Neil Weller, said: “We are immensely proud to have won this award. Everyone gets involved, and so many of the initiatives start with our people. This award is therefore for everyone at TB+A, all of whom deserve this recognition.” The judges commented: “Troup Bywaters + Anders has created sustainability through its apprenticeship programme, and its Eco-mmittee team (which promotes sustainable practice across the business), with clear evidence that the company is demonstrating excellence in social responsibility, including statistics to show the impact this has on business performance.”
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