DRAINAGE SYSTEMS


access for removal and installation works. In some cases, it also meant the removal of washhand basins, hot and cold water services, and various electrical services. “As you can imagine,” he continued,


“the extent of works going on led to an extremely dusty environment. A series of polythene screens were installed on all floors to prevent dust travelling to the main lift lobby and south side patient and staff areas. Ventilation systems were adjusted to create a negative pressure, further reducing any risk of dust escaping from the works area. Constant cleaning was required on all floors, and we used sticky floor pads at all entry/exit points to minimise dust and dirt escaping on boots/shoes. Contractors’ only access to and from each floor was via a dedicated service lift. These control measures helped to ensure a very low risk of contaminating areas outside the site boundary.”


A trouble-free future With the north side project now completed, and Geberit’s HDPE system in place, the Trust can have confidence in a maintenance-free future for these soil stacks. HDPE provides the robust and reliable solution needed for modern drainage systems, and the addition of electrofusion welding made for quicker, easier, and long-lasting connections. It was the perfect choice at Belfast City Hospital. Lightweight, robust, and easy to maintain, our HDPE system includes permanent seals which remain leak-proof, and a smooth pipe bore to reduce the risk of blockages. The use of electrofusion welding also ensures reliable joints for many years, plus a quicker, easier connection method than some alternative methods used with metal pipes.”


56 Health Estate Journal March 2023


Above left: Congealed waste had reduced the bore of the 4-inch soil stacks to just over an inch in some places, while the hospital’s original cast iron pipes, now over 40 years’ old, were heavily corroded in places.


Above right: A cutaway image showing internal narrowing at a horizontal section at the bottom of a soil stack.


Lucas Vogan


Lucas Vogan is Technical Sales manager at Geberit, having worked for the company for the past 39 years. He left school aged 18 with a keen interest in mechanical engineering, which – he says – combined with his passion for people, has seen him enjoy a successful career at Geberit. Responsible for developing the products the business manufactures – including piping systems such as Geberit Mapress for supply systems, and ‘high-performance’ Geberit HDPE for drainage systems, he inspects installation quality once products are


installed, and works closely with contractors, consulting engineers, and specifiers, to ensure that their needs are met.


Geberit is an IHEEM Company Affiliate Member, and Lucas is committed to providing guidance and development opportunities for hospital engineers and healthcare estate professionals. He undertakes training at Geberit’s Dublin training facility, and gives CPD presentations to customers. Passionate about ensuring healthcare facilities are fitted out with the right materials to make them safe and efficient, he also works closely with consulting engineers and design architects ‘to bring their vision to life’.


Stephen Knox


Stephen Knox, Estates officer (Operations) at Belfast City Hospital, graduated with a BEng Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast in 2003.


He has over 18 years’ experience in the maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems and building services, and has been an Estates Officer at Belfast Health & Social Care Trust since 2012, and an IHEEM Member since 2016. In his role he is responsible for the operation and maintenance of building services, M&E plant and equipment, and a range of mechanical infrastructure upgrade projects at what is an extremely busy acute hospital site.


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