Set and Maintain Safety: Healthcare Construction Management

Construction brings an added layer of processes and safety measures to your facility in addition to the carefully orchestrated operations of your healthcare facility. Is your facility prepared to mitigate the risks and prioritize the utmost safety for your patients and staff while staying compliant during construction work? 

Today, we’ll outline the best practices for a modern medical center to take on construction confidently and safely for everyone involved. From understanding what the challenges are to how to create a safe environment for healing and recovery, you’ll walk away with practical knowledge to advocate for your healthcare facility through any construction project. 

Understanding the Challenges of Healthcare Construction

Every industry faces challenges, but few have the level of regulation and intricacy as healthcare — especially at the hospital scale. While these regulations are important to maintain a high level of safety for patients and staff, they can also pose problems when normal operations are interrupted by construction, renovation, or invasive maintenance work. 

Some of the most common challenges include strict regulatory demands, the need for a strong infection control strategy, and the importance of keeping normal hospital operations running smoothly. Whatever your approach to construction, you’ll need to ensure that your team is not sacrificing any of these three key elements along the way. 

If health and safety are not a top priority through construction work, your facility risks: 

• Exposure to infectious diseases
• Increased rates of Hospital-acquired Infections (HAIs)
• The presence of hazardous materials
• Disruptions to healthcare services
• Non-compliance with regulatory bodies 
• Loss of funding

Essential Strategies for Safe Healthcare Construction

Your best defenses against the risks associated with healthcare construction management are education, planning, and procedures. This means that it’s critical to keep your facility team as well as all staff up-to-date on healthcare construction best practices, safety processes, and technology so that the entire healthcare facilities management and staff can work together toward the goal of health and safety during healthcare construction.

Thorough Planning Prevents Construction Chaos

In-depth pre-construction planning and risk assessment are essential to safely completing healthcare construction. This involves detailed project scoping, identifying potential hazards ahead of time, and developing strategies to compensate for these risks before construction or renovations begin.

Tailoring Measures to Your Facility's Needs

Safety is going to look slightly different for each facility based on the risk level of the construction work, the vulnerability of patients, and the normal rhythm of operations in your facility. Deciding which protocols make the most impact in your facility will be largely dependent on the planning portion of the process. These protocols should address infection control, patient safety, and compliance with healthcare regulations. In order to best serve your facility, patients, and staff, these protocols must be clear, enforceable, and updated on a regular basis.

Leveraging Technology to Enhance Safety

Taking advantage of modern technology can significantly improve safety in healthcare construction management  while also making maintenance easier. Real-time monitoring systems, safety alerts, and control mechanisms can help manage construction activities effectively while dust containment or air purifiers can extend the time between cleanings in sterile spaces even where construction activities might normally cause more work for cleaning crews. 

Keeping Your Team Prepared and Informed

Your staff can only contribute toward a safer hospital if they know what to look for. Continuous training for all personnel involved in the construction process is essential for equipping everyone in the facility to support the overall safety goals. The training that you select should focus on site-specific hazards and safety protocols. Regularly updating training programs and ensuring strict compliance with safety standards and regulations help maintain high safety levels throughout the project.

The Power of Collaboration in Safety Management

No matter what your specific goals and procedures are to keep your hospital safe through the process of healthcare construction, collaboration is one of your strongest tools. When everyone is educated on what compliance and safety look like as well as how to achieve it, your entire infection control strategy and compliance alignment will be much more effective. This collaboration includes everyone from medical staff and facility teams to contractors, architects, and regulatory agencies. Effective communication and cooperation ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding safety protocols and project goals.

Practical Tips for Implementing Safety Measures

Education and training are a great first step, but how can you practically implement health and safety measures in your hospital to navigate healthcare construction management the most effectively? 

Complete Risk Assessment and Analysis

Conducting a thorough risk assessment is your first line of defense against potential hazards. Start with a detailed site evaluation to pinpoint any unique risks your healthcare environment might face, like infection control issues or biohazards. By identifying these risks early on, you can develop specific strategies to mitigate them, ensuring a proactive approach to safety management. This forward-thinking process helps your facility be better prepared for any challenges that may arise during construction.

Engage in Safety Training Programs

Safety training programs are key to keeping everyone on the same page. Make sure your training is specific to your site, focusing on the unique hazards your team might encounter. Regularly update these training sessions to include new safety protocols and procedures. This way, everyone stays informed and equipped with the latest knowledge to support safety goals. Continuous education helps maintain a high level of awareness and preparedness among all staff involved in the construction process.

Develop an Emergency Preparedness Safety Plan

Creating a detailed safety plan tailored to your specific project is crucial. This plan should outline all safety protocols and procedures, including emergency response actions and key contact information. A well-developed safety plan ensures that everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency, enhancing overall safety and preparedness.

6 More Healthcare Construction Safety Best Practices

1. Clear Communication Channels: Establish clear communication channels between all stakeholders, including healthcare staff, contractors, and regulatory bodies.
2. Regular Monitoring: Utilize real-time monitoring systems to track construction activities and manage safety in real time.
3. Compliance with Regulations: Ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations from authorities like OSHA, CDC, and the Joint Commission.
4. Phased Construction: Divide construction projects into smaller phases to better manage infection control and minimize disruptions.
5. Use of Technology: Leverage advanced technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM) to identify and mitigate risks during the planning phase.
6. Emergency Preparedness: Develop and maintain a detailed emergency response plan to handle any incidents that may arise during construction.

Keep Your Environment Clean and Safe With HEPACART®

Dust Containment 

One of the biggest challenges during healthcare construction is controlling dust, which can spread dangerous pathogens, mold, and other contaminants. HEPACART offers innovative dust containment solutions designed to keep your facility safe. Our range of infection control products effectively contains dust, preventing it from circulating through the air and posing a risk to patients and staff. The element that makes the HEPACART Classic or AutoLift carts particularly effective is the addition of a medical-grade, High-efficiency Particulate Air, or HEPA, filter which offers an incredible 99.99% filtration of particles .03 microns or larger. By using dust containment equipment, you can ensure that your construction activities do not compromise the cleanliness and safety of your healthcare environment.

Air Filtration

Clean air is crucial in any healthcare setting, especially during construction. HEPACART's air filtration products, like the HEPAFORCE® GermBuster are designed to effectively filter out harmful airborne particles, keeping the air in your facility clean and safe. These advanced filtration systems remove dust, mold, pathogens, and other contaminants from the air, significantly reducing the risk of infections and maintaining a healthy environment for patients and staff. Our selection of air filtration equipment can be equipped with either traditional HEPA filtration at 99.97% capture that can capture down to.3 microns in size or medical-grade level HEPA filtration at 99.99% of particles down to .03 microns in size. Implementing these air filtration solutions ensures that your facility remains a safe place for healing, even through invasive construction activities.

Disinfection

Maintaining a high standard of cleanliness is of the utmost importance in healthcare facilities management. HEPACART offers surface disinfection products that safely and efficiently destroy harmful pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and fungi on surfaces. Disinfection solutions like the SmartClean UV-FORCE® machines use ultraviolet light to inactivate pathogens on surfaces and in the air. These systems are highly effective and can be used in various healthcare settings like patient areas and operating rooms. They effectively reduce surface and airborne pathogens, meaning that harmful pathogens are neutralized before they can increase the risks of HAIs. By integrating HEPACART's disinfection products into your cleaning routine, you can ensure that all surfaces remain free from harmful microorganisms, providing a safer environment for everyone.

How to Create a Strong Safety Culture in Your Facility 

Building a strong safety culture starts at the top. Leadership commitment is crucial in promoting and maintaining a safety-first mindset throughout the organization. When leaders demonstrate their dedication to safety through their actions and policies, it sets a positive example for everyone in the facility. Allocating the necessary resources and support for safety shows that safety is a priority and encourages everyone to follow suit.

From there, it’s important to get the whole team involved. Involving employees in safety initiatives creates a proactive safety culture and makes it more likely that you’ll reach and maintain your facility’s safety goals through construction. Encourage staff to participate in safety programs, provide feedback, and report any safety concerns without fear of reprisal. Creating an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up about safety issues fosters a culture of openness and collaboration. 

With healthcare safety and particularly with construction safety, you’ve never “arrived.” Learn from past incidents and analyze them thoroughly to prevent future occurrences. Regularly review and update safety protocols to make sure they remain effective and relevant. By prioritizing a culture of continuous improvement, your healthcare facility can adapt to new challenges and maintain a high level of safety throughout any construction project.

Prioritize Safety in Healthcare Construction With HEPACART

Looking for more support as you prepare to take on a construction project or renovation work in your healthcare facility? Download our free guide today to empower your infection control journey and prepare you and your team to maintain the highest levels of safety and compliance.