Commercial performance, task achievement, or customer satisfaction of any construction project is predetermined by how well the contractors plan the overall process and foresee the inevitable.

A preconstruction risk assessment is indispensable to any project type, be it demolition, construction, or renovation. The risk is not always avoidable, but an ideal risk assessment helps to minimize the consequences. Furthermore, a well-sorted pre-construction risk assessment plan can alert the stakeholders (e.g.: hospital staff) involved.

A risk assessment process is complex and involves utility standards, airy quality requirements, construction noise, and other impacts including fire safety and vibration, unique hazards respect to the facility in question, for example, dust in case of hospitals.

This post features some critical aspects that Titan Restoration Construction considers when reviewing risks related to construction.

Initial assessment

Initial assessment involves studying the entire project structure/area. This step involves communicating with the department or key stakeholders to get any additional information.

Initial assessment in most cases involves a detailed study of the structural and floor plans to decide whether additional assessments namely Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) and Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM) are required.

Based on the outcomes of the assessment, decisions on different standards including the extent of control processes, the requirement of implementing temporary fire protection is made.

Infection Control Considerations

Special care is always for any health-oriented construction project. This is where our team of certified professionals carries out an Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA). Some steps involved are as follows:

• Identify hazards that could impact patient wellbeing in addition to any environmental threats that can trigger airborne and waterborne risks. An ICRA permit is validated and communicated with the stakeholders impacted by the project.
• Periodic inspections to monitor risk levels and documenting the findings.
• Validating the negative pressure requirements and ensuring the complacency by using appropriate equipment
• Identifying factors or work that could disrupt the essential services to patients and staff and evaluating the impact.
• A thorough understanding of the ventilation and air quality needs in the surgical and Intensive Care Units within the facility and mitigating any associated.

Project responsibilities

In terms of project handling responsibilities, we ensure to check all the below-listed pointers.

• Detailed records of projects based on the project type, requirement, site, and areas affected stored in separate documentation binders
• Pre-calculating the duration of impairment or construction and the building area involved
• Maintaining the need for hot works including cutting and welding at the minimum level possible and ensuring that any pertinent works carried out is approved by the Engineering department
• Ensuring safe and potential practices to dispose of debris
• Enforcing protection facilities/equipment as needed. For example, fire protection features and Personal Protection Equipments
• Periodic inspections and documentation involving regular fire alarm checks
• Ensuring light and air quality requirements are met as per the situation. For example, any excavations are regularly monitored for air quality and well lit during the work hours
• Making no compromise on fire exit routes and erecting clear signs throughout the construction area while facilitating unobstructed exits.
• Erecting temporary partitions as required. For example, a smoke tight partition made of non-combustible materials are erected usually on facilities like hospitals

Project team meeting and record-keeping

Weekly project team meetings are enforced to ensure the smooth functioning of the project. It is during such meeting the project progress is forecasted against the deadlines. The meeting also features findings from the periodic inspections and a detailed risk assessment based on any critical considerations.

The meetings are usually attended by the engineering department, the certified contractors, the construction manager, the security manager, and the stakeholders impacted by the project if available.

The meeting also decides on interim measures like training or notifying the staff about new developments. For example, communicating with the staff when additional exits are designated.

Intermediate inspections

The intermediate inspections, for us, are the soul of any construction project. We record the findings from these inspections to improvise and mitigate any risks.

A thorough understanding of risks involved and assigning responsibilities and roles to mitigate the risk is critical prior to starting any construction project. Here at Titan, we ensure that each and every step taken is accounted for.