Improving indoor air quality is a significant driver for improved occupant health outcomes. This was known prior to COVID but has become more apparent since. The WELL Health-Safety Rating has put significant weight on improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) of buildings as part of achieving and maintaining the rating. The following Features are related […]
We are ready for some football! And basketball! And hockey! Real, in-person sports! After a 2020 fall that saw capped attendance at sporting events across the country, we are thrilled to see stadiums and arenas safely return to full capacity. As we approach every project, delivering a memorable fan experience is often a top goal […]
SSR has been providing engineering and consulting services to the sports and entertainment market for nearly three decades. Throughout that time, we’ve been privileged to work with dozens of owners with various degrees of experience with a major construction project. From these experiences, we’ve compiled our TOP 5 List of Design Considerations for an owner […]
Be sure to check out Part 1: Considerations for Masonry Exteriors. Testing Methods The testing methods used to evaluate moisture intrusion are beyond the scope of this article and are even harder to explain to a client that is fed up with failed attempts and long-winded explanations. They just want to be told that the […]
Introduction to Masonry and Moisture Contrary to popular belief, masonry leaks. This includes brick, CMUs (concrete masonry units aka cinder blocks), and all forms of veneer. Often, it’s the mortar that is to blame and more specifically, its current state of absorption or consistency. In this two-part article, I will cover what happens when you […]
As the Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs celebrates their first anniversary, we wanted to share some photos of the second phase of the project. At the conclusion of the 25,000 SF gaming hall addition, Kentucky Downs converted much of the old space into restaurants and other amenities for patrons to enjoy. SSR took great […]
Mike Rogers and Scott Terry recently attended the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) annual conference, VenueConnect 2021, in Atlanta. Representing public assembly venues (arenas, convention centers, amphitheaters, fairgrounds, performing arts centers, stadiums, universities, etc.) from around the world, the conference is an opportunity to bring all types of industry partners together for education, advocacy […]
Predictive Maintenance (PdM) or Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) technologies have been in use for some time to help facility professionals assess equipment condition. This article will use PdM to reflect both approaches as discussed in an earlier companion article. This article discusses using real-time acoustic and ultrasonic monitoring for detecting air-borne or structure-borne sound waves associated […]
Predictive Maintenance (PdM) or Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) can help facility professionals solve problems they don’t even know about yet. Many health care facilities currently have ongoing Preventive Maintenance (PM) programs that consist of lists of activities to be performed at calendar-based intervals. Sometimes those PMs are based upon past practices, and sometimes they are based […]
Today (August 4th) is Professional Engineers Day. The purpose of the day is to celebrate licensed professional engineers by raising awareness about what it means to be a PE, recognizing licensed PEs, and showing appreciation for the work they do every day. At SSR, we’d be nowhere without our engineers. To recognize the day, we […]
The Mississippi River floods in April and May 2011 were among the largest and most damaging recorded along the U.S. waterway in the past century. The City of Dyersburg, TN, located 79 miles northeast of Memphis, was hit particularly hard with most of the flooding occurring in the community of South Town, one of the […]
In early May, a mechanical fracture was discovered during a routine inspection of the Interstate 40 bridge (Hernando DeSoto Bridge) over the Mississippi River. The bridge was closed to all traffic while the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) worked together evaluate the damage and determine the best solution for […]
This year’s Kentucky Tennessee Water Professionals Conference (KY/TN WPC) will take place August 15-18 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. After skipping the 2020 event, SSR is thrilled to once again see many of our clients, friends, and industry partners. Hosted by the Clean Water Professionals of Kentucky & Tennessee (CWP-KT) and the Kentucky/Tennessee Section of […]
Hi! I’m Kate MacIndoe, PE, Civil Engineer – Water/Wastewater, and this year’s Kentucky/Tennessee Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Young Professionals (YP) Chair. Part of my responsibilities as KY/TN AWWA YP Chair are to help coordinate the Water for Life event that takes place Sunday afternoon of the Water Professionals Conference. I am […]
Healthcare systems may be struggling to comply with the fact that the physical environments of their business occupancies are surveyable. In many accredited healthcare systems, the quantity of business occupancies that are part of that entity’s CMS Certification Number is substantial. Although the potential for surveys of business occupancy physical environments has been there for […]
Reducing occupancy loads, adjusting seating assignments and circulation paths, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE! These are all protocols and procedures that facilities began analyzing and implementing in early 2020 to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The WELL Health-Safety Rating has multiple features related to keeping people safe while keeping business going to guide […]
SSR has been working on the whiskey bar at Choctaw Casino & Resort-Durant. The project is the reimagining of a former coffee shop into The Reserve, a new whiskey lounge and bar, as part of the resort’s capital improvement projects. SSR provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design for the new power, mechanical, lighting, and plumbing […]
This blog originally appeared on the Women in Healthcare blog. You can learn more about the organization here. Women in Healthcare, as an organization, is “committed to providing women in the healthcare industry with the community and tools needed to prosper and to allow them to have a seat at the table they want to […]
Sports and entertainment facilities need some of the most versatile controls when considering integration and operation of a building. Whether we’re talking about a stadium, arena, gaming space, or event space, controllability of lighting systems has many considerations when designing a new system or integrating into an existing one. Today, energy codes provide a […]
When COVID hit, the first thing that we all started thinking about was how to best clean and sanitize spaces and surfaces to reduce the potential spread of viruses. This involved not only the type of cleaning products used but also a deeper look at the amount of “high-touch” surfaces a person can encounter during […]
In 2018, SSR began working with a utility district in Middle Tennessee on the addition of a new force main at one of their largest pump stations for increased flexibility during wet weather events. The goal was to install a new 24” ductile iron force main approximately three miles in length along very difficult terrain […]
A hydraulic water model is a powerful tool that can aid in development impact assessment, master planning, fire flow analysis, and emergency response occurrences. Through the help of specialized software, such as InfoWater Pro, a community’s distribution system can be modeled as a network that includes many attributes such as diameter and length of pipes, […]
This year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), observed April 26-30, is themed “Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives.” NWZAW is an annual campaign held at the start of construction season that encourages safe driving through highway work zones. The public awareness campaign was launched 21 years ago to encourage drivers to use extra caution […]
My engineering professors at Vanderbilt always told us that there’s only so much you can learn in the classroom and that we would have to be prepared to learn on the job after graduation. I knew they were right—the real world is a lot more complicated and unpredictable than carefully crafted homework problems—but I underestimated […]
Now that you know how much the WELL Health-Safety Rating can cost, the next question is “how much effort and from who does it take to make this happen?” Our resident WELL Accredited Professional, Hannah Walter, will break it down for you based on SSR’s own pursuit of the WELL Health-Safety Rating on our offices. […]
One of the first questions which comes up when trying to get the conversation started about green building certification is “How much is this gonna cost?” Our resident WELL Accredited Professional, Hannah Walter, will break it down for you based on SSR’s own pursuit of the WELL Health-Safety Rating on our offices. How much […]
In late 2020, league officials from both the NBA and NHL were looking at ways to protect both the players and fans in their arenas. Ahead of their respective seasons, each league published return to play protocols that included recommended and required measures. These guidelines prioritized measures intended to reduce the risk of transmission of […]
When the San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztec’s kick-off their 2022 season, they’ll be doing so in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility. The 35,000-seat stadium will be the first completed component of the redevelopment of the old Qualcomm Stadium, the former 135-acre home of the San Diego Chargers. Bashor Field at Aztec Stadium Located on […]
We are excited to announce that, as of January 6, 2021, SSR is enrolled to pursue the WELL Health-Safety Rating for a portfolio of our offices through the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Office locations included in the Health-Safety Rating submission will cover the majority of our colleagues wherein we have sufficient control of building […]
When is it ok to sacrifice our health for the sake of convenience? This has been a burning question for consumers and regulators as they work to implement a plan to reduce the hormone disrupting and cancer causing PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) – also known as forever chemicals – polluting many of our source […]
One of the most troublesome, yet often overlooked enemies of the water/wastewater industry is corrosion. It is estimated that the direct cost of dealing with corrosion in the United States totals $276 billion annually, $36 billion of which is spent in the water/wastewater (W/WW) industry alone. This estimate comes from a two-year study performed by […]
As cities and communities around the country continue grow, many local water departments and utilities are faced with challenges, particularly as it relates to infrastructure. The challenge of significant growth will be most felt by those that are the sole water provider for an area. Fortunately, technology has continued to advance and water modeling software […]
Recent Joint Commission articles have indicated there will be additions to the LS/EOC Document List and Review Tool starting in early 2021. The Joint Commission has finally released those long-awaited 2021 changes. The updated Life Safety & Environment of Care Document List and Review Tool for 2021 is located on pages 102 through 116 of […]
For the last two decades, SSRCx has been providing commissioning services for different types of buildings and facilities across the United States and around the world. During our 20-plus years of experience, our team of seasoned project managers, engineers, and consultants have encountered systems that are unique to a specific project. Read on to learn […]
Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.’s (SSR) commissioning division, SSRCx, has been providing consulting services to clients across the United States and around the world for over two decades. During that time we’ve had the privilege of commissioning thousands of facilities, from healthcare to higher education, corrections to community facilities. While no two projects are ever alike, […]
As we seek more information on the safest way to re-open our buildings during this pandemic, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched a set of pilot credits under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) green building rating system. These pilot credits provide sustainable best practices relative to disinfecting and cleaning, HVAC […]
In its October 7, 2020 issue of Joint Commission Online, The Joint Commission requested comments on its proposed new water management program standard, through a field review of the proposed new standard. The Joint Commission field review is accepting comments through November 16, 2020. A Joint Commission speaker at the Virtual ASHE Annual Conference presentation […]
In July, the Chase Center officially achieved LEED Gold certification. It’s no easy feat for sports facilities to achieve certification; across the four major U.S. sports, just 31 venues have achieved a LEED certification and the Chase Center is one of five NBA arenas to be LEED Gold or higher certified. Arenas tend to excessively […]
While ventilation and filtration are the best and most proven means for HVAC systems to positively impact human health in building, air cleaning and treatment can be considered for possible enhancement of indoor air quality. There are several air cleaning and treatment technologies in the market today, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
As the gates swing open and fans walk through the turnstiles for the first time in several months, arena, stadium, and ballpark owners and operators must find ways to create a safe environment for their guests. Public confidence must be restored in order to get fans back in the seats. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught […]
In early September, the Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs, a 25,000 SF addition, opened to much fanfare. The premier gaming destination features 850 slot machines, a high stakes area, sophisticated central bar, and entertainment stage. SSR provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology design services for the project. Designing the mechanical system for […]
Since 2007, the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University has hosted their annual Healthcare Design & Construction Symposium. In a typical year, the highly sought-after event is attended by 150 healthcare professionals from across the country. This year, due to restrictions stemming from COVID-19, the symposium went virtual, presenting eight sessions over two days to […]
Iconic but future-proof, innovative with a community-focus. These are some of the expectations of new sports and entertainment venues being built around the world. Ownership teams are looking for jaw-dropping designs that appeal to fans, deliver a competitive advantage to the home team, and often anchor a massive entertainment district intended to revitalize a community. […]
As states, local governments, and companies across the U.S. plan for reopening based on a range of unique situations, facilities are beginning to plan for their employees or tenants to return to offices. Amidst the need to change how building mechanical systems operate to provide safe environment for occupants, opportunities exist to help mitigate potential […]
In August, the doors to Allegiant Stadium will open to the public for the first time, unveiling arguably one of the most exciting entertainment venues in the world. Less than three years after the groundbreaking ceremony, all eyes will be on the new home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. The 65,000-seat, almost $2 billion […]
In 2009, Texas Christian University (TCU) decided to embark on a transformative project for Amon G. Carter Stadium, the historic home to the Horned Frogs football team. Originally built in the early 1930s, the stadium had been gradually expanded over the years, but the athletic department and administration recognized a need for more space, improved […]
During a global pandemic it may be difficult to consider beyond the next change, however facility infrastructure risks still need attention. A July 2020 Healthcare Facility Management (HFM) Magazine article entitled “A review of common hospital utility risks – Proactive assessment of hospital utilities can help to minimize risks and ensure safe and efficient operations” […]
The green building certification industry has taken the initiative to help address concerns for returning to work and building design as it relates to COVID-19. The three most prominent certifications in the U.S. to date are the WELL Health-Safety Rating, the Arc Re-Entry score, and the RESET® Building Standard. All provide guidance to client looking […]
As the United States continues to open up, facilities across the country are beginning to plan for a return to occupancy. Careful consideration for the safety of those occupants, from employees to the general public, must be considered to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. While not inclusive, SSR’s subject matter experts have compiled a list […]
As the United States continues to open up, facilities across the country are beginning to plan for a return to occupancy. Careful consideration for the safety of those occupants, from employees to the general public, must be considered to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. While not inclusive, SSR’s subject matter experts have compiled a list […]
Unfortunately for the players of Super Bowl XLVII, any on-field action is probably the third-most memorable event for the casual viewer. The 2013 game is most known for either Beyoncé’s halftime show or for the lights going out early in the third quarter. Parts of the stadium went dark for over thirty minutes, leaving fans […]
CMS issued some new physical environment blanket waivers on April 29, 2020 permitting certain CMS-mandated inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) activities to be adjusted during the federal emergency declaration. The previous broadly-distributed April 29th version included the ITM blanket waivers on page 23, but additional changes since then included some other CMS physical environment blanket […]
PART 2 – MANUFACTURING FACILITIES Recall that in the Part 1 of this series (Defining and Identifying High Energy Buildings in the U.S.) we reviewed the current state of the U.S. energy use and environmental impact on a global scale and defined and identified high energy building categories. From that review we determined that manufacturing […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has a link to the mandatory 1135 Waivers posted on their website for the Emergency Preparedness Rule (originally called the Emergency Preparedness Final Rule or EPFR). The 1135 Waivers link above provides the full 1135 Waivers requirements. However, the purpose of this article is not to discuss the […]
ASHRAE has developed proactive guidance to help address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) concerns with respect to the operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. The linked webpage below provides easily accessible resources from ASHRAE to building industry professionals. Interim Guidance from the CDC: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Quality Safety & Oversight (OSQ) Memorandum QSO-20-12-All, Suspension of Survey Activities, on March 4, 2020. In the QSO Memorandum background message, CMS stated that “Specifically, CMS is suspending non-emergency inspections across the country, allowing inspectors to turn their focus on the most serious health and safety […]
Integrating occupant wellbeing with resource efficiency In recent years our firm has seen a shift where the green building industry is moving toward “human-centered design”, i.e. integrating occupant health and wellness with energy efficiency in buildings. Rating systems such as WELL™ and FITWEL® focus on improving occupant comfort, health, and productivity through operational and design […]
A recent Health Facilities Management Magazine article entitled Powering up to meet today’s health technology demands discusses in detail the impacts of burgeoning health care technology on health care facility power systems. The consistently increasing technology changes are likely to ramp up even more throughout all health care facilities, not just in hospitals. Clinical areas […]
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) announced recently that it is postponing the official dates of pending revisions to the following three standards until further notice as a result of pending appeals to provisions on these standards: Revisions to: USP <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Nonsterile Preparations USP <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations New chapter: USP […]
Part 1: Defining and Identifying High Energy Buildings in the US The architectural and engineering community in the U.S. has engaged in designing energy-efficient buildings and helping building owners optimize energy performance in existing buildings since the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) introduced Standard 90.1 – Energy Efficient Design of New […]
CMS issued a February 1, 2019 update (Ref: QSO19-06-ALL) to the State Operations Manual (SOM) Appendix Z emergency preparedness interpretive guidance to clarify CMS requirements pertaining to alternate source power and emergency standby systems. The clarifications (in red) are easy to find within the 56-page document. In its Memorandum Summary, CMS stated “We are updating […]
The discussion below is an update to our more comprehensive previous analysis entitled CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Could Require More Equipment on Generators. The Emergency and Standby Power Systems portion of the CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule (CMS EPFR) discussed “specific compliance with NFPA 99, NFPA 101 and NFPA 110 for generator design, location, […]
ECRI Institute (ECRI) recently published its 2019 Top 10 list of health technology hazards. Healthcare organizations could consider this latest update of this list as one of many potential sources for identifying new safety risks or guiding due reconsideration of previously-identified safety risks. ECRI determines the content of the annual list, by considering adverse incidents, […]
CMS changed the rules for both inventories and equipment inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) requirements in December 2013. The CMS changes require that, where law and regulations do not stipulate ITM, manufacturer ITM recommendations must be followed unless the organization has a compliant AEM Program and uses a risk-based process to determine how and when […]
TJC recently released its newly updated Life Safety & Environment of Care Document List and Review Tool, marked REVISED: 4/30/2018. The individual pages of the list are each marked with a 3/13/2018 revision date, which correlates to the TJC speaker’s 3/27/2018 PDC Conference general session reference to those revisions. This is the list of documents […]
TJC recently released its newly updated Life Safety & Environment of Care Document List and Review Tool, marked REVISED: 4/30/2018. The individual pages of the list are each marked with a 3/13/2018 revision date, which correlates to the TJC speaker’s 3/27/2018 PDC Conference general session reference to those revisions. This is the list of documents […]
Surveyors often seem to find the violations you did not see before they arrived at your facility. Why is that? It may be because they have never seen your facility before, so they see everything with what professionals in the field call “fresh eyes.” A major contributing factor is also the important fact that surveyors […]
TJC recently updated its Survey Activity Guide (SAG) for 2018. Contained within that updated SAG is an updated Life Safety and Environment of Care Document List and Review Tool, found on SAG pages 101-108. It appears that the new LS/EC Document List and Review Tool included some of the January 2018 changes to TJC’s elements […]
Most hospitals have utility failure procedures for major utility systems or equipment. However, existing utility failure procedures may have room for improvement, particularly in how they deal with common-mode failure potential within their utility systems and equipment. Reliability professionals generally consider that multiple failures, including failures in otherwise redundant equipment, attributable to a common cause […]
TJC recently finalized the January 1, 2018 changes within its online Hospital Accreditation Standards Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS) chapters. With a few exceptions, those changes were driven by the CMS September 2016 publication of the NFPA 101-2012 and NFPA 99-2012 K-Tags according to previous TJC announcements. This article discusses the major […]
Perhaps the future of gathering information about projects is in the air. SSR is testing that theory. Drones came into the public consciousness a few years ago, mostly as novelty holiday gifts. The new age alternative to remote-controlled airplanes, drones offered something additional — they could hover and they included ample space to mount a […]
TJC recently published the January 1, 2018 changes to its online Hospital Accreditation Standards Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS) chapters. With a few exceptions, those changes were driven by the CMS September 2016 publication of the NFPA 101-2012 and NFPA 99-2012 K-Tags according to previous TJC announcements. This article discusses only the […]
Owners of sports and entertainment venues and design firms have long been focused on innovative design, comfort of their patrons, and facility performance. Over the past several years, the focus has shifted to include sustainability as a primary objective. As high-profile entertainment venues, sports facilities are in a unique position to showcase facility performance and […]
The CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule (CMS EPFR) took effect on November 16, 2016, and compliance is expected by CMS starting November 16, 2017. Per the handout for CMS’ April 27, 2017 webinar, the new CMS-required all hazards approach “is an integrated approach to emergency preparedness planning that focuses on capacities and capabilities that are […]
When changing from one event to another, building pressure and air flow can be a major concern for venue operations. Not only can they affect energy efficiency, a major concern for many owners, they can also affect air quality in the building, and, by extension, both patron experience and the event itself. In 2016, SSR […]
The fight against Legionella bacteria within healthcare facilities has been a topic of healthcare industry discussions and concern for more than a decade. CMS substantially raised the bar in June 2017 when it issued a revised Survey & Certification Letter [S&C 17-30-Hospitals/CAHs/NHs REVISED 06.09.2017] PDF entitled “Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk in Healthcare Facility Water […]
TJC recently published the July 1, 2017 changes to its online Hospital Accreditation Standards Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS) chapters. Published changes include some clarifications and corrections to previously-issued changes, such as EC.02.05.01 Element of Performance 6 (EP-6) regarding inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) for non-high-risk utility system components. This change modified […]
Every building owner has to ask themselves that question. It’s inevitable and a long, hard look at the answer can sometimes be what stands between them and significant cost savings. It comes at no surprise that the biggest energy and cost drain is the HVAC system. So, the next question is then, “How much will […]
One important change in NFPA 99-2012 was the addition of Chapter 15, Features of Fire Protection. Within that chapter is a new Section 15.13, entitled Fire Loss Prevention in Operating Rooms. Subsection 15.13.1, Hazard Assessment, requires an evaluation of FIRE hazards that could be encountered during surgical procedures, including “hazards associated with the properties of […]
During his late afternoon March 14th session at the just-completed 2017 ASHE PDC Conference in Orlando, TJC speaker George Mills (Director of TJC’s Department of Engineering) announced upcoming additions and changes that will supplement the newly-released January 7th Elements of Performance (EPs) and the already-pending July 1st EP changes. Mr. Mills stated that the required […]
Every year, when Health Facilities Management and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of the American Hospital Association release their Hospital Construction Survey results, I am always intrigued about what it will reveal. The 2017 report is out, and I’m happy to see the connection between designing healthcare facilities and the clinical workflow highlighted. Hospitals […]
Building enclosure (or envelope) commissioning (BECx) is a process by which the performance of a facility is evaluated and verified against the specific quality requirements of the owner. The commissioning team in charge of BECx is involved throughout the entire project, from the pre-design phase through the operations and maintenance phase. From the start, the […]
CMS has published the long-awaited K-Tags that reflect the adoption of the 2012 codes (NFPA 101-2012® Life Safety Code® and NFPA 99-2012 Health Care Facilities Code). Note that both of these codes also invoke many other NFPA codes and standards that can be between 10- and 15 years newer than the previously-enforced editions. K-Tags are […]
Many hospitals are still struggling with the AEM inclusion risk assessments required by both the CMS Survey & Certification Letter and Accrediting Organization (AO) requirements. This newsletter revisits and updates a previous discussion of AEM risk assessment requirements. TJC-accredited hospitals, for example, now face an even more important reason for having an effective AEM-inclusion risk […]
Now that CMS has adopted the 2012 Life Safety Code™ and 2012 Health Care Facilities Code, CMS is surveying for compliance with NFPA 110-2010. NFPA 110-2010 has very specific requirements for the 3-year 4-hour EPSS load test, and many hospitals may not be complying with those requirements. From NFPA 101-2012® Life Safety Code® [referencing NFPA […]
TJC released its long-awaited changes to its Life Safety (LS) and Environment of Care (EC) chapters Elements of Performance (EPs) on October 31, 2016. These documents are entitled “Prepublication Standards – Standards Revisions Related to Life Safety Code Update” and cover six TJC accreditation programs. The 49-page Hospital Prepublication Standards can be downloaded from that […]
The term “commissioning” is more and more frequently heard in every conversation about building construction, whether it’s new building construction or looking at the performance of an existing building. But what exactly is commissioning? The word has naval beginnings. A ship, especially in wartime, had to be commissioned before it was ready for active duty. […]
SSR’s May 2016 Compliance News article entitled CMS Adopts the 2012 Codes provided breaking news along with numerous hyperlinks to assist organizations in assessing the impact of CMS’ adoption of the 2012 codes. SSR’s June 2016 Compliance News article entitled CMS to survey 2012 codes starting November 1, 2016 passed along a few clarifications issued […]
One of the significant changes resulting from CMS’ adoption of the 2012 Life Safety Code® is the impact of the NFPA 101-2012 Building Rehabilitation Chapter 43. Chapter 43 is intended to apply to work that the owner or occupant has elected to perform within an existing building. In its final rule adopting the NFPA 101-2012 […]
Building energy modeling has been used for many years to show compliance with local energy codes and to document energy performance-related points in beyond-code rating systems such as LEED® and Green Globes. When used in this manner, energy modeling is typically seen as a necessary evil – just another box to check at the end […]
The November 2015 Compliance News issue discussed the joint work that both ASHE and TJC had performed to that point in providing assistance on major physical environment compliance problem areas. Last month’s Compliance News issue discussed TJC’s contributions to that initiative through July 2016. This article reviews ASHE’s ongoing contributions to their joint program through […]
I recently had the opportunity to visit Iceland with my Graduate Nursing Program as part of a Global Healthcare class. With my head down working on healthcare design projects across the country, it is easy to get tunnel vision and forget about the bigger picture. But I was reminded when I found this: according to […]
The November 2015 Compliance News issue discussed the joint work that both ASHE and TJC had performed in providing assistance on major physical environment compliance problem areas. The TJC Physical Environment Portal (TJC PE Portal) is still available at TJC’s website under the main TOPICS heading. Interested parties can sign up at that location to […]
SSR’s May 2016 Compliance News article entitled CMS Adopts the 2012 Codes provided breaking news along with numerous hyperlinks to assist organizations in assessing the impact of CMS’ adoption of the 2012 codes. In its June 20, 2016 Survey & Certification Letter S&C 16-29-LSC, CMS advised that CMS will begin surveying to the 2012 Life […]
Many people consider it ironic that a nurse works at an engineering firm. The experience has turned out to be quite serendipitous for me. The growing role of the executive nurse as a true partner in healthcare strategy requires systems thinking and an engineering-based approach. During a keynote address, BYU professor Margaret J. Wheatley Ed. […]
Changes take effect July 5, 2016. CMS has adopted the 2012 codes (NFPA 101®-2012 Life Safety Code® and most of NFPA 99-2012 Health Care Facilities Code.) However, the full consideration of this change also requires taking into account the impact of changes in the referenced documents that will now be 10 to 15 years newer. […]
As of April 8, 2016 all projects registered under the LEED v2009 BD+C for New Construction rating system will be required to achieve a minimum 18% reduction in energy cost over ASHRAE 90.1-2007. This is an 8% increase over the previous minimum requirement of 10%. Additional increased energy thresholds apply to other ratings systems as […]
Changes to EPA regulations will soon prohibit or severely restrict participation in “emergency demand response” programs for owners of standby generators. The change will take effect on May 1, 2016. A number of hospitals with significant investment in standby generation participate in these programs, generating substantial revenue. Most will soon see their participation curtailed. Demand […]
As the landscape in healthcare is continually changing, increasing pressures for hospitals to perform leaner is becoming commonplace. By definition, lean thinking is the concept of finding value and eliminating waste in a process. Waste is anything that does not bring value to your “customer” or the end recipient of your service. Lean comes from […]
The March 2016 issue of Health Facilities Management Magazine discusses “Best practices for hospital power system reliability.” The following highlights some of the topics contained within that detailed article, and we recommend that Compliance News readers review and share the hyperlinked HFM Magazine article within their organizations. Best practices can be undertaken throughout the life […]
There continue to be questions regarding the use of maintenance-free generator starting batteries since they seem to be the preferred starting battery type of most generator set manufacturers. This article discusses the original prohibition and when it was removed from NFPA 110. Within the NFPA 110-1999 edition presently enforced by CMS and its accrediting organizations, […]
The clinical voice is sometimes overshadowed by other “voices” that are slowly making an entry into clinical processes. I was struck recently by the fact that electronic health records dictated the workflow in one recent incident. In another situation a patient education/entertainment system was a driving force in workflow. Creating an organizational structure to accommodate […]
2016 brings a host of ongoing compliance challenges along with a few new ones. The ongoing challenges often revolve managing and mitigating the myriad risks within our facilities: general safety hazards, utility risks, fire safety risks, and life safety risks. Of concern is the accelerating pace of changes combined with increasing complexity of the impact […]
ECRI recently published its 2016 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list. Healthcare organizations could consider the latest update of this list as one of many potential sources for identifying new safety risks or ensuring due consideration of previously-identified safety risks. Element of Performance # 1 under TJC’s Standard EC.02.01.01 requires identifying safety and security risks […]
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law in 2010, there have been continuing transformations in hospital financial, technological, and clinical practices. These transformations have in some cases led to the establishment of competing priorities for hospital decision makers. Two of the biggest issues facing hospitals that cross financial, technological, and clinical lines […]
Since ASHE and TJC announced their joint effort to address the most problematic physical environment issues at the July 2015 ASHE Annual Conference in Boston, both organizations have been making good on that promise. The TJC Physical Environment Portal (TJC PE Portal) is available at TJC’s website under the main TOPICS heading. Interested parties can […]
ASHE and five other professional organizations issued an important Joint Interim Guidance statement in late September addressing the ongoing challenges with HVAC systems serving operating rooms and sterile processing departments. The Joint Interim Guidance document was dated September 21, 2015 and issued shortly thereafter as a PDF file by the signatory organizations. The six signatory organizations […]
The healthcare facilities community is expecting CMS adoption of NFPA 101-2012 (Life Safety Code®) and NFPA 99-2012 (Health care Facilities Code) later this year or sometime early next year. While we have been awaiting adoption, may organizations have already made it a point to become familiar with some of the major changes within those two […]
TJC Director of Engineering George Mills announced some July 2015 changes to the Life Safety Surveyor’s portion of hospital triennial surveys during his recent TJC Update session at the ASHE Annual Conference in Boston. Mr. Mills covered many important subjects during this presentation. This SSR Compliance News issue discusses only some changes that directly affect […]
Hospitals are dealing with the issues of utility system equipment technology failures and managing the need for ongoing technology upgrades as equipment designs evolve. Many hospitals have varying generations of utility system digital control technology built into major electrical, mechanical, vertical transportation, etc. operating components that were installed over the past few decades. Examples include […]
In its June 3, 2015 issue of the NFPA TODAY blog, (also in the June 5, 2015 NFPA conference blog post), NFPA stated that 27 standards in the Annual 2015 revision cycle, including the new NFPA 110, were issued by the NFPA Standards Council on May 26, 2015 as Consent Standards. The new NFPA 110 […]
Most hospitals have utility failure procedures for major utility systems or equipment. However many utility failure plans have room for improvement, particularly in how they deal with common-mode failure potential within those utility systems. The HFM Magazine article How to Plan for Water Outages published in early 2015 referenced an excellent document published by the […]
A historical area of compliance challenges, related to hospital construction/renovation projects, may be getting worse. Many organizations have struggled with obtaining timely receipt of details relating to new utility system components as well as manufacturer’s operating and maintenance manuals. The CMS December 2013 Alternate Equipment Management changes (related TJC July 2014 Alternate Equipment Maintenance changes), […]
Many hospitals are struggling with the AEM risk assessments required by both the CMS Survey & Certification Letter and the TJC July 2nd revisions. This newsletter discusses the AEM risk assessment requirements. Compliance News previously discussed the driving CMS 2014 Survey & Certification Letter S&C:14-07-Hospital and its enclosed Appendix A interpretive guidelines generally in our […]
Once a facility is built and fully operational, what assurances does the owner have that the building will perform as intended? Operational energy performance is a priority for building owners, and as the old adage goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Without actionable, systems-level data on energy usage for our facilities, performance decay […]
Why does it have to be so hard…integrating devices to give clinicians the information they need to deliver optimum care? How many times do I have to sit in meetings and hear, “We don’t integrate with that company?” Enough is enough! As a nurse, I am beginning to see this impact the delivery of care at […]
An article just published in the February 2015 issue of Healthcare Facilities Management (HFM) Magazine discusses in detail many issues related to planning for hospital water outages. The article is available online at the HFM Magazine website. Water outages are unfortunately a common cause or effect of cascading failures. They can occur as a result […]
Modern building enclosures are designed and constructed using numerous complex systems and materials. Combined with demands for quality, durability, schedule, and energy performance, it’s not surprising that the building enclosure represents the majority of building failures and construction defect claims. Simply defined as a quality-based process implemented to evaluate and verify the owner’s project requirements […]
By now many hospital facility directors have reviewed the Hospital Equipment Maintenance Requirements contained within the current CMS Alternate Equipment Management (AEM) program rules being enforced by CMS and all of its deemed accrediting organizations. We previously discussed the driving CMS 2014 Survey & Certification Letter S&C:14-07-Hospital and its enclosed Appendix A interpretive guidelines generally […]
Facility owners are becoming more in tune with the fact that 90% of a building’s lifetime cost is tied to operating cost, while only about 10% is dedicated to construction. This realization is driving owners and building professional organizations to compile increasingly sophisticated levels of facility operation and maintenance documentation. The amount of documentation required […]
Hospitals are expected to identify risks that can adversely affect the safety of patients and others. As an example, under TJC’s Standard EC.02.01.01, Element of Performance 1 lists examples of both internal and external sources of information on probable risks. The annually updated ECRI list of Top 10 Health Technology Hazards is not listed but […]
ASHE just published a new 80+ page management monograph detailing a comprehensive program for managing hospital emergency power systems. This document addresses recent lessons learned, best practices, and new regulatory issues. Readers who have questions on the content of the monograph are invited to email the author at DStymiest@ssr-inc.com. Entitled Managing Hospital Emergency Power Systems: […]
Resources for information on Ebola Preparedness The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 8, 2014. This extraordinary event has created worldwide awareness and panic of the threat of such an epidemic. Generations of the past have been touched by such epidemics as yellow […]
The design and construction industry has made great strides in the past decade towards creating more sustainable and higher performing buildings. Building owners pursue green buildings for many reasons: operational cost effectiveness, marketing, ethics, occupant health, natural resource conservation, among others. Several industry organizations have formulated standards or rating systems to guide the development of […]
The new AEM program requirements can represent a sea change in hospital utility system management. The new requirements can affect a multitude of existing processes as laid out in a hospital’s current Plans, Policies or Procedures (PPPs). This article briefly discusses a few of those processes. We previously discussed the driving CMS 2014 Survey & […]
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare industry has evolved and will continue to for the foreseeable future. Hospitals have been tasked with becoming more efficient, with fewer resources, and adapt to the new marketplace. However, buildings are decaying, becoming more inefficient, and costing more to operate year-after-year. When buildings and equipment […]
In a new Clarifications and Expectations article entitled “Revised Equipment Maintenance Standards for Hospitals” published in the September 2014 issues of Environment of Care News and TJC Perspectives, TJC Director of Engineering George Mills provided guidance regarding the enhanced TJC equipment maintenance requirements that took effect on July 2, 2014. We previously discussed the driving […]
In late spring 2012, SSRCx began utilizing a cloud based database, Building Start, to execute the commissioning process for all new construction projects. Building Start is mobile workflow management software that merges a cloud based project management platform with a mobile, offline workflow and audit trail system. This unique combination allows the assignment and sequencing […]
There has been activity without many answers since TJC Director of Engineering George Mills announced a change in TJC’s approach to power strips in patient care areas on June 1, 2014 at the AAMI Conference. Although most facility managers call these devices power strips, both Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and CMS call them relocatable power taps […]
The healthcare landscape is changing so fast that it is difficult to keep up or predict the future. What does the future hold for the delivery of healthcare? How will future practitioners innovate? It is safe to say, however, that the future of healthcare will be more about value than about volume. The healthcare continuum […]
The Joint Commission recently issued numerous changes to its Hospital Accreditation Standards (HAS) Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS) chapters. TJC accredited hospitals should closely review all changes within the HAS book itself. TJC’s Prepublication Requirements issued June 20, 2014 identified the below-listed EC chapter changes that took effect July 2, 2014. There […]
The building enclosure (envelope, skin, etc.) represents one of the highest risk elements of construction. Water intrusion, air leakage, and increased energy consumption are common consequences of poorly designed and constructed building enclosure systems. An effective building enclosure commissioning (BECx) and testing program can reduce these risks along with associated long term effects such as […]
Project teams pursuing certification under the LEED® v4 Building Design and Construction rating system should carefully examine their commissioning process and scope, as the updated rating system includes several new requirements and options for building commissioning. Following is a selection of significant changes in commissioning requirements, based on information currently available within the LEED v4 […]
According to a new press release from AAMI, TJC Director of Engineering George Mills announced new restrictions on the use and application of Relocatable Power Taps during his speech at the AAMI 2014 Conference in Philadelphia on June 1, 2014. According to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) relocatable power taps, often also called outlet strips, are listed […]
TJC Director of Engineering George Mills clarified TJC’s requirements for safe storage of medical gas cylinders in the February 2014 editions of both TJC Perspectives and EC News. The TJC articles, both entitled Maintaining Medical Gas Safety and located within the Clarifications and Expectations portion of each periodical, referred to NFPA 99-1999 section 4-3.5.2.2(b). Section […]
CMS recently issued Survey & Certification Letter S&C:14-07-Hospital, which changed the requirements for hospital equipment maintenance. The new requirements apply to utility systems equipment as well as medical equipment. The CMS letter can be found at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Downloads/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-14-07.pdf, and hospital facility directors should obtain and review a copy of it. That letter also includes as Appendix […]
CMS recently announced its intent to adopt the 2012 editions of the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code® (LSC) and the NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code with modifications. This process in now within a 60-day public comment period, and all public comments must be submitted by June 16, 2014. This round of public comments followed, […]
The 2014 TJC Hospital Accreditation Standards include wording changes in Standard EC.02.05.07, EP-4 (generator test intervals) and EP-6 (transfer switch test intervals) that tweak the required test intervals a little. The new 2014 test interval language in both EPs states “At least monthly, the hospital tests ….” This is a change from the 2013 TJC […]
Take a close look at your 2014 schedules for quarterly requirements such as fire safety system testing found in several elements of performance (EPs) under Standard EC.02.03.05. The brand new 2014 TJC definition of QUARTERLY can be found on page EC-3 at the beginning of the EC Chapter in the 2014 Hospital Accreditation Standards. The […]
In its Joint Commission Online article, dated June 26, 2013,(www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/23/jconline_June_26_13.pdf) The Joint Commission announced a new 2014 National Patient Safety Goal NPSG .06.01.01 on clinical alarm safety for both hospitals and critical access hospitals. The July 2013 issue of Joint Commission Perspectives discusses the new NPSG in detail. The NPSG requirements include 4 elements of […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a categorical Life Safety Code waiver permitting new and existing ventilation systems supplying hospital and critical access hospital (CAH) anesthetizing locations to operate with a relative humidity (RH) of ≥20%, instead of ≥35%. CMS is also recommending that RH not exceed 60% in these locations. CMS […]
