Contributed by: James Stanford and Philippa Kilgallon
Department: Construction Delivery and Safety, Health and Environmental
Description of the Works
Imagile Professional Services (IPSL) was instructed by Darent Valley Hospital Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust to install a secondary Vacuum Insulated Evaporator (VIE) as part of the hospital’s rapid COVID-19 response.
A Vacuum Insulated Evaporator stores liquid oxygen, which provides hospital wards with a constant supply of oxygen for patients. Darent Valley was the first hospital in the South East of England to complete critical works on a VIE installation in response to an increase in demand for oxygen supply and to provide resilience due to COVID-19.
The project involved a significant amount of enabling works to build a suitable structural platform, trenches and services that could accommodate the VIE tanks and associated plant. Pipework was then installed proving a connection from the VIE directly through to the main hospital connecting to the existing gas infrastructure transporting oxygen safely through to patients.
Services provided
In early April, the Trust recognised that there would be an increased need for respiratory support, such as assisted ventilation, as the coronavirus infection continued to spread. The hospital wanted to install a second VIE system to increase oxygen capacity and to prevent disruption if issues occurred with the existing one.
IPSL’s Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) team were appointed as Principal Designer to manage the pre-construction phase of this project. The SHE team mobilised quickly to review the proposed design, maintenance requirements and construction risks. The team were vital in coordinating and collaborating with the project team and the wider NHS trust, ensuring that the hospital could continue to undertake its core functions and not be overwhelmed by the additional pressures presented by COVID-19.
IPSL also provided Project Management services, which included Quantity Surveying, Health and Safety and Administration. IPSL worked closely in partnership with the Trust, while appointing approved suppliers to successfully deliver the VIE installation.
The challenges
Due to the rapid spread of the virus, there was an urgent need for increased oxygen capacity, meaning works had to be completed to an extremely tight schedule. To ensure works could be completed on time and to the highest standard, contractors needed to be appointed quickly and start almost immediately.
Working on a live project site presents a unique set of challenges and IPSL’s focus was on ensuring works caused minimum disruption to the day-to-day running of the hospital. This involved strategic management of communications between various stakeholders.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new set of safety risks were presented and this meant adapting the way IPSL think about risk and duty of care. Before works could begin, IPSL’s SHE team had to ensure adequate procedures were in place to make sure that the works would be COVID-19 secure. This included, reducing the number of workers on site to adhere with social distancing, reducing the number of touchpoints on site and ensuring all contractors were inducted in line with CLC guidance.
Solutions provided
IPSL has developed a trusted network of approved partners to provide clients with immediate support and deliver works collaboratively, safely and efficiently, while also keeping facilities fully operational. Collaborative working was integral to ensuring that this project was completed on time, on budget and fully compliant.
IPSL was able to begin work shortly after being advised and the VIE was successfully installed, commissioned and fully operational just over one month later.
