How do you replace two existing air handling units, each serving a critical operating theatre whilst ensuring that one of the theatres remains in use at all times?
Simple, it would seem, to do them one at a time, but what if the air handling units are mounted one above the other and occupy a space that is too small to accommodate new air handling units to the latest HTM 03-01 standards?
These were the key questions that faced clean air engineers at Medical Air Technology (MAT) before commencing the recent project at Dewsbury and District Hospital, part of – The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
MAT’s work was a turnkey, extensive upgrade to operating theatres 3 and 4 to bring them up to the standards of the recently published HTM 03-01.
The new standard for heating and ventilation systems in healthcare premises was introduced in
November 2007 – just when the design for Dewsbury and District Hospital was commencing. The lead author of HTM 03-01, Malcolm Thomas, was appointed by the trust to work with MAT as part of the design team.
Concerns were raised regarding the difficulty of removing a plant with shared controls system, wiring and heating connections. Given the age of the services that were originally installed in 1987 and the space limitations of the existing plant, the risks would be high.
MAT addressed these requirements and put forward a design solution. Utilising external space within a ground floor courtyard for the new air handling units immediately removed any risk involved in maintaining the operation of the theatres.
It also allowed the majority of the works from the plant up to the second floor to be completed in advance of the theatre shutdown, minimising the programme.
The space within the courtyard was idealloy suited for the supply and extract AHUs incorporating all the latest requirements of HTM 03-01 including heat recovery. The total length of the new plant was over 11 metres, more than double that of the existing plant.
Each theatre had: Ultraflow 2.8m ultra clean ventilation canopy, X’TEN Duo operating lights, battery back-up system for the operating lights, rigid medical gas pendants, air handling units and DX cooling system,l surgeons panel, BMS control panels, building work, electrical, mechanical, medical gases and installation works.
Taken from www.hospital-bulletin.co.uk - September 2008 - article 930
