IBEW-NECA Workers Keep Vital Services Running
Keeping Vital Services Running in Hospital Construction
While medical science and the technology used to diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses are advancing at an exponential rate (which is certainly no bad thing), the fact is that that medical treatment facilities do not have the luxury of shutting down while installing upgrades and new technology is installed. After all, people continue to have health and medical issues, twenty-four seven. And this doesn’t take into account the fact that, due to greater access and an aging population, demand for health and medical care services is expected to increase.
Facing the Challenges of Hospital Construction, Renovations and Retrofitting
This is one of the major challenges faced by electrical designers, engineers and workers when they are called on to make renovations and upgrades to facilities providing vital ongoing services, such as hospitals and medical clinics. Two recent projects utilizing contractors and workers of the NECA-IBEW team highlights how these labor organizations are meeting that challenge, undertaking renovation projects in a manner that allows medical facilities to continue operations without interruption.
Retrofiiting for Earthquakes at San Francisco General Hospital
One of these projects involves retrofits being made to San Francisco General, a hospital located in one of the most geologically active regions of the country. Because a major earthquake will result in tens of thousands of injuries, the possibility that a major hospital could suffer major damage threatens to exacerbate an already bad situation. It is for this reason that the retrofits being bade to SF General, enabling the building to survive an earthquake of up to 8.0 on the Richter Scale, has been given top priority. At the same time, the work must be carried out as quietly as possible, in spaces deep in the foundation of the structure under conditions that are less than ideal.
Nonetheless, those IBEW members involved in the project are embracing the challenges enthusiastically. One IBEW worker says that even though the working conditions are difficult, “… it’s really fun because I get to build something. Every day is a new environment, a new challenge.” She adds, “I take pride in the work that I do.”
Expansions and Renovations at Mercy Medical Center
Over two thousand miles away, Mercy Medical Center in Kenton, Ohio was experiencing its own challenges, including outdated systems and infrastructure and swelling demand for services. The renovations required here included a greatly expanded emergency room and triage facilities as well as a new, updated radiology department. New construction was not an option: the contractors had to work within the existing structure, while keeping service interruption to an absolute minimum. In addition, it was necessary to have a contracting firm that was qualified to work with the systems and equipment vital to a medical care facility. It is knowledge that can literally mean the difference between life and death. John Dale, a project manager at local NECA contractor Abbot Electric, says, “It’s a great responsibility we take on…and we welcome it.”