Engineering and Building Maintenance

It is important to keep in mind that the products used in the maintenance of hospital buildings should be environmentally safe, preferably water based, solvent free and ideal for use in hygenically sensitive areas.

How do maintenance engineers avoid problems with these types of buildings and structures?

Roofs and Gutters
It is essential to protect against leaking roofs gutters and the water damage that may be caused to internal and external area of the buildings. Waterproof coatings are available to provide long term protection especially to flat roof surfaces and gutters. In case of an emergency there is a solution to instantly stop leaks even in wet conditions.

Plant Rooms and Bund Areas
Thse areas ar reknown for containing corrosive industrial chemicals that may erode and corrode internal and external surfaces. There is also the added hazard of a chemical spill or fire. Products are available that have superior adhesion to the surface to which they are applied and do provide a chemical resistant coating to both internal and exterior surfaces that may possibly exposed to these dangerous chemicals.

Operating Theatres
These are areas unique to hospital buildings amd must be kept hygienic and contaminant free. It is necessary to consider the build up of bacteria and dirt, avoid the hazard of potentially slippery surfaces and the wear and tear caused by constant abrasive cleaning practices.The products used in these sensitive areas are solvent free and water based thereby avoiding the nasty odour normally associated with solvent products. It provides a resistance to mould and bacteria and is slip resistant.

Kitchens and Cafetarias
The factors we look out to protect in this environmentally sensitive area are mould and bacteria growth, slipping on dangerous floors and abrasion caused by impact in a solid working environment. Again hygiene of the walls and floors is the goal of any maintenance and preventative program and it is necessary to apply a coating that will be resistant to the growth of mould and the presence of bacteria.

Showers, Toilets and Change Rooms
The challenges associated with each of these areas are similar in that we must maintain hygiene, control the growth of bacteria and mould and be aware of any dangerous situation developing due to slippery surfaces and the entering of dirt and contaminants into the hospital environment. The solution is the application of hygienic wall and floor resurfacing systems to provide a non slip surface that is easy to maintain and keep clean.

Corridors and Other High Traffic Areas
High traffic areas in hospitals such as corridors can expect damage to walls and doorjambs mainly due to trolleys and other hospital equipment. The solution in this case lies in the application of a concete or timber repair compound for the damage to the walls and doorjambs followed by a water based impact and abrasion resistant coating to the internal walls.

Non-Slip Surface Protection
It is essential that high traffic areas such as stairwells are protected against slippery surfaces which can be dangerous to the users. There are easy to apply grip systems and coatings available for emergency exits, walkways, stairwells and ramps where a non-slip surface is essential.

Graffiti
Graffiti vandalism is a problem on internal and exterior walls of hospital buildings as common as anywhere else. Use a clear or pigmented graffiti resistant coating on all surfaces including brickwork to afford long term protection against the unsightly curse of graffiti.

External Walls
Protect external walls against the constant exposure to the elements of nature. Concrete and timber products are available for repair and clear or colourful waterproof and weatherproof coatings are available for the refurbishment of the exterior surfaces.

The use of maintenance products in a sensitive health and safety conscious environment such as a hospital calls for products of a certain quality and nature which meet the stringent legislative requirements. This is not an area to experiment with. The products to be employed must be environmentally friendly, water based and solvent free and proved ideal for hospital maintenance requirements.

The buildings and structures around schools, colleges and universities require constant maintenance and protection. There is a need for products that are environmentally friendly, that give a high performance and long term protection.

How do you avoid problems with these buildings and structures? What major concerns do maintenance engineers typically encounter in these institutions?

Roofs and Roof Lights
Problems lie in having to protect against water damage to classrooms and internal areas caused by leaking and damaged roofs and roof lights. The solutions to these problems may include a long lasting water proof membrane for all the roof surfaces and gutters as well as a clear protective coating for the roof lights to withstand a severe impact.

Graffiti Protection
A common and annoying problem in schools is having to protect against graffiti attack to internal and external walls and other structures. The solution to this act of vandalism lies in applying a clear or pigminted graffiti resistant coating suitable for all surfaces such as brickwork and provides cost effective long term protection.

Concrete Surfaces
There is a need to protect against worn, damaged, spalled and dangerous concrete on floors, walls and overhead surfaces. The solution to these unsightly and sometimes dangerous situations lie in lightweight concrete repair materials used to rebuild vertical and even overhead damaged and worn surfaces.

Classrooms and Corridors
There is always the need to protect walls and floors against impact and abrasion damage from furniture and everyday wear and tear as well as graffiti. The solution lies in the application of water based reinforced wall coatings that are easy to clean as well as being graffiti resistant. There is also hard wearing as well as decorative floor coatings and screeds available

Gymnasium Floors and Wood Repairs
There is often a problem of wear on gymnasium floors and a need to protect against damage to wooden floors through regular ongoing use sometimes failing to maintain them. The floors become slippery as a result and a danger to the sports hall users. This maintenance includes repairs to prolong the life of wooden structures and window frames. The solutions to these problems lie in the application of clear lacquers for coating and sealing hardwood and softwood wooden floors. These floors can be first repaired as necessary by epoxy compounds for fast repair and used for rebuilding rotton window frames.

Safety Surfacing
Stairs are always a problem especially if they are subjected to a lot of traffic. It is therefore necessary to protect against slippery and dangerous surfaces. There are now easy to apply grip systems ideal for stairways, emergency exits, walkways and ramps where anti slip surfaces are essential.

Shower, Toilet Blocks and Change Rooms
There is always a need to protect against slippery and dangerous floors, especially when they are wet, suffering from mould growth and the surfaces are dirty. These areas are notorious for graffiti attack on the walls. The solutions to these challenges lie in the application of hygienic floor sealant that are slip resistant even when the surface is wet and graffiti and mould resistant wall resurfacing solutions that are easy to maintain and clean.

Kitchens and Dining Areas
It is essential that these are clean to there is a need to protect walls and floors against mould and bacteria growth, as well as impact and abrasion damage. There is also a need to ensure protectection against slippery and dangerous floors. The solution lies again in hygenic coatings for floors and walls that are impact resistant, that are easy to clean, can withstand sudden temperature changes and are also mould and basteria resistant.

Metal Corrosion
Depending on the location there is a need to protect against corrosion and chemical attack on all metal surfaces. There are special coatings available for long term protection of steel and other metal surfaces that can be literally eaten away in a harsh or salty climates.

Shattered Glass
Without doubt there is a more frequent need to protect against the potentially dangerous consequences of shattering glass. The solution is to apply anti-shatter coatings to the glass surfaces preventing the glass from shattering under any form of impact.

Products
These water based products are environmentally friendly, solvent free a and have proved ideal solutions to the above problems in a challenging environment such as a school, college or university.

What maintenance concerns have maintenance engineers in hospitals?