We recently completed time sensitive installation of a heavy service boom support structure for a Pittsburgh area hospital’s Cath Lab. This installation was challenging because idling the Cath Lab to complete our work would have resulted in significant amounts of lost revenue for the hospital.
Although many contractors still utilize traditional structural steel and red iron supports when fabricating medical equipment supports others are beginning to learn about new and improved alternatives. Red iron supports inflate project costs by requiring shop and field fabrication. The support grid system must be custom designed to the unique specifications of each piece of medical equipment. Special care must also be taken to anticipate and accommodate existing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Using red iron supports for this installation would have also required welding, introducing potentially harmful airborne contaminants into a hospital environment. Hospital administrators considered an after-hours installation at night or temporarily closing down the wing during the day to minimize the effect of these contaminants, but both of these options contributed significant additional costs to a project that was already over budget. Read More…
