Temporary extension leads in Healthcare Environment for Short Power Shutdowns

I am not aware of any regulation that specifically prohibits extension leads in a healthcare building.

AFAIK there IS an NHS policy against long term use of extension leads in clinical areas. But the proposed use is only short term.


Proper care is required to avoid trip hazards, and to not overload any extension lead, nor any part of the fixed installation that is supplying the extra load.

One specific caveat is the prevalence of self closing fire doors, extensions leads will prevent these from fully closing. Work arounds include fire wardens who will remove the leads and close the doors in case of emergency.

Or perhaps finding a different route, including externally via windows.

I'd have to say that I've arranged similar arrangements on a number of healthcare sites and provided all the common sense things are in place as Broadgage mentions, I don't see the problem


Plenty of additional porters on duty to act as fire watchers should address most risks


Regards

My only thought, I am afraid, was surely not! Not until the number of covid patients has dropped very substantially - where would OMS's porters (or could be secretaries and admin staff) come from?

Many thanks Broadgage (and OMS below) for your input, you appear to be confirming the lines of thought that I was already going down so much appreciated.  I do suspect that it is actually the main contractor who is pressuring the electrical sub contractor to come up with an excuse as to why it cannot be done as the main contractor very clearly does not want to take any responsibility over the matter.

Thanks for raising your concern Chris, but, I know the Trust very well and the hospital site and there would be no impact on Covid matters currently being handled throughout the hospital.  Additional fire officers, porters etc. really is not an issue.

I see no additional fire risk either. The idea that correctly loaded cables are a fire risk is in cloud cuckoo land as usual. There will be an additional trip hazard (slight), but A&E is probably only yards away and some tape and warning notices should sort the problem. Someone will suggest the nurses wear hard hats next!

Well, to some extent, Chris, just because it is the NHS it could be done if required (more employees than the Chinese Red Army and more difficult to make it change direction, and all that -  but with a plan in place, they can respond awesomely)


As an example, We've successfully just doubled the O2 capacity of an acute district hospital whilst fully operational with very careful design and many steps in the phasing  - essentially we've installed duplicate VIE plant at the opposite end of site and managed to put a new O2 header through the hospital street to connect both plants and then installed a number of branches and loops to get more O2 to areas where even a conservative HTM assessment would show the demand is off the scale (principally due to whole wards now being used for oxygen therapy and having unprecedented demand)


We've also put in isolation pods at a number of sites to provide an extra layer of safety for paediatric bed spaces where the patient is extremely vulnerable


To be fair, most of these examples are PFI - but the works could only take place due to the fantastic responses from the NHS staff at every level


In terms of electrical supply, it's not that important in the short term - a few good nurses can keep a critical patient going without any power, for a reasonable time step - it's just easier if you have some. Fire is the biggest risk


Regards


OMS

Morning OMS


I agree whole heartedly with what you have said regarding the fantastic responses from the NHs staff at every level.  I have never been so busy with several different Trusts designing solutions to help them out with both Covid related matters and all the normal projects and every step of the way, even though some are utterly exhausted and cannot see an end to the current situation, the NHS staff have been exceptional.


I've met NHS staff who have had caught Covid, met staff who have had heart attacks because of the pressure (and caught Covid whilst recovering from their heart attack) and met staff who are so utterly exhausted that they can barely function, but all of them never cease to smile, be polite and be helpful where they can. They put a lot of things into perspective for me.


Regards


Adrian

Sure thing Adrian


I guess it is sometimes difficult to separate the "Meh - well paid, well equipped and well trained doing the job they are paid to do" from the reality of the day to day stuff they endure. Perhaps what we shouldn't do is keep the reference to this "front line" - these people aren't soldiers.


And yes, some of them are at breaking point and they still keep going - but that's human nature I guess - daughters of Ruth, maybe


The rest of us just need to do what we can to reduce the pressure, and actively help out a bit


Regards


OMS