The construction of a three-storey extension over the Emergency Department is required to provide additional support space in connection with the wider General Intensive Care Unit expansion at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, which will eventually provide eleven new critical care beds for the City of Bristol. The proposal to work in the Atrium over the Emergency Department was initially met with resistance from the emergency care team and nursing staff, who were understandably concerned about construction work being carried out around them, while they are essentially trying to save lives.
By working closely with our supply chain and all departments affected by our works, we were able to demonstrate how a safe system of work could be implemented and managed, causing minimal impact on the client’s day to day operations. Listening to their concerns and working collaboratively with the Trust during the preconstruction stage has helped to allay fears, build relationships and ultimately enable us to safely carry out an extremely complicated piece of work in a very high-risk environment.
The use of digital technology has made such a difference and had such a positive impact on the outcome of this project, making a seemingly impossible task possible, with seven of the new beds already provided and the remaining four to be completed by October 2023.
Three Winning Facts:
- The use of digital tools and technology on this project made a seemingly impossible task possible.
- BAM were able to safely construct a three-storey extension over a busy Emergency Department in a live hospital environment.
- This project clearly demonstrates how a collaborative approach and the use of digital tools in construction can dramatically build client confidence, help to improve planning and management of health of health & safety risks on site, and provide programme benefits which ultimately all result in improvements to the overall performance and outcome of the project.
