Reimb. General Conditions (Div 01 00 00)

Planning Construction Barriers

Facility name: Regional Medical Center Of San Jose

Project name: RMCSAJ-052017P1-IP Surgery Dept. Reno
Location: SAN JOSE, CA
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 0838500028
Lesson Learned number: 53
Impact: Cost, Schedule


Lesson Learned/Best Practice

When a new construction phase overlaps into an existing room, where at all possible, take that entire room rather than subdividing it with a new temporary wall.  Maintaining or upgrading existing partitions is cheaper and faster than building a new wall, and those impacted rooms are rarely left with enough function to be usable when subdivided.


Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Review construction phasing with an eye to trying to utilize existing walls wherever possible, rather than constructing new temporary walls.

Verifying fire watch requirements with AHJs

Facility name: Skyline Medical Center

Project name: SKYLMC-052017M-Med Surg, Critical Care, & ED
Location: NASHVILLE, TN
Project classification: Hospital – Horizontal Expansion
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3429300007
Lesson Learned number: 50
Impact: Cost


Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Fire Watch Requirement For Expansion – The Metro Nashville Fire Marshal required that a 24/7 fire watch be implemented for Skyline due to the expansion being connected on each floor to an existing occupied facility. During construction there was no active fire sprinkler system or fire detection system. Due to the expansion being horizontally connected to the existing occupied building, fire watch was required. During normal working hours Batten & Shaw dedicated an employee to maintain fire watch and keep updated logs. During off hours (nights and weekends) a 3rd party security company was hired to provide fire watch and update logs. This was an unforeseen cost that was funded from RGC’s. The cost was approximately $2,000 a week for the security company performing off hours fire watch.


Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Verify with the AHJ/local fire marshal at the beginning of a project their interpretation of the fire code and requirement. Depending on the project, this may apply differently. If it were a true vertical expansion and did not tie into the existing building horizontally, the slab would provide a 2-hour fire barrier, and this fire watch would not be required.

Temporary fencing in Hurricane-prone locations

Facility name: Orange Park Medical Center

Project name: ORPKMC-092018M-Bed Tower
Location: ORANGE PARK, FL
Project classification: Hospital – Vertical Expansion
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3091300035
Lesson Learned number: 41
Impact: Schedule


Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Hurricane prep and recovery was hindered in securing job site security due to having to remove the temporary wood fence panels at OPMC.  If the site fencing was engineered and installed per the attached Hurricane Rated Fence design, the fence could have been left in place with no concerns about flying debris.  Standard wood privacy fence panels are a concern for airborne debris and must be removed and re-installed during hurricane events.


Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Use hurricane rated design when building a wooden site fence for projects in hurricane zones.


Actions Taken / Current Status

This is being sent to the HCA Construction Management team for consideration and follow-up action if necessary.

Construction equipment exhaust impact on hospital

Facility name: Methodist Hospital

Project name: METHOS-102013P4-ED Renovation
Location: San Antonio, TX
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3938500016
Lesson Learned number: 1
Impact: Quality, Safety


Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Exhaust from construction equipment next to air intakes should be piped to be away from the intake.  Changes in the wind direction can carry fumes to the intakes.  If the equipment cannot support an exhaust extension, carbon filters will need to be installed on intakes next to construction spaces.


Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Coordinate exhaust extensions, use electrical equipment, or use carbon filters on the intakes.