There are often unwelcome visitors in hospitals – some potentially harmful. Extermination is the only solution for some pests but there are alternative measures for others, Health Estate Journal discovers.

This Health Estate Journal ‘Then and now’ feature describes some thoughts from about 30 years ago on considerations to be given to hospital lighting. Much has changed in lighting technology in the past three decades but what is put forward in the article remains worthy of study. The article, by Alan Cockram (Building Research Establishment), appeared in the May 1976 edition of Hospital Engineering, the official journal of the Institute of Hospital Engineering (now IHEEM).

Power quality is a serious, and often costly, issue in healthcare, especially when equipment is prone to fail without warning. Powervar’s Rob Morris considers how sensitive medical equipment can be effectively protected against power surges, spikes, electrical noise and large value transients so as to maximise the chances of it keeping operating efficiently.

IHEEM Council member Bill Millar, governance and compliance manager at the United Lincolsnhire Hospitals NHS Trust, has recently revised and refreshed the IHEEM awards documentation, which explains the criteria for entry to the various categories, describes how entries are judged, and details the awards on offer. Health Estate Journal reports.

By the time this issue of HEJ reaches them members should also have received, by post, an “IHEEM Awards 2011” booklet describing the current “stable” of five IHEEM annual Awards, Medals, and Prizes, outlining the background to, eligibility criteria for, and purpose of, each, and detailing the nomination and selection process for this year’s Awards, which will be presented at the annual IHEEM Conference in November.

The threat posed by Legionella bacteria remains significant – and one location of risk is the dental surgery. Report by John Hayes FIHEEM MRIPH MIoD MWMSoc, director of T P Technology plc and chairman of IHEEM’s London Branch.

An expert look at the key changes within the DH’s recently updated decontamination guidance for surgical instruments and endoscopes in HTM 01-01 and HTM 01-06.

The background to the DH’s 2016 updating of its guidance for surgical instruments, HTM 01-01.

Dr. Amy Drahota, from the University of Portsmouth, and Dr. Iman Mohagheghian, from the University of Surrey, discuss an often-overlooked consideration for flooring decision-makers – that of shock-absorbency, and the impact of installing shock-absorbent flooring on patient fall-related injuries and staff safety.

A Central Sterilising Club working group has recently got together to produce some valuable guidance on air quality in the ‘clean’ side of endoscopy decontamination suites.

Health Estate Journal considers the key legislative requirements on health estates managers and health and safety personnel when it comes to ensuring flooring is safe for both patients and staff amid growing Health and Safety Executive concerns about the number of slips and trips in hospitals, medical centres and care homes.

Examining the effectiveness of various wet surface cleaning methods in combating harmful microorganisms in a hospital ward, understanding different healthcare cleaning regimes’ impact on reducing slips and trips, evaluating the protection offered by surgical masks against influenza bioaerosols, and independently testing tower crane safety following a number of fatal incidents, are among the broad spectrum of recent projects undertaken by the Buxton-headquartered Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL).

With new legislation on the horizon that will give authorised NHS staff the power, for the first time ever, to themselves order removal of individuals causing “nuisance and disturbance” from hospital premises, Health Estate Journal considers the key security issues facing the healthcare sector, explains the background to the legislation, and talks to a leading security provider, the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS), and two large acute Trusts, about how they overcome some of the security problems they face.

With new legislation on the horizon that will give authorised NHS staff the power, for the first time ever, to themselves order removal of individuals causing “nuisance and disturbance” from hospital premises, Health Estate Journal considers the key security issues facing the healthcare sector, explains the background to the legislation, and talks to a leading security provider, the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS), and two large acute Trusts, about how they overcome some of the security problems they face.

Craig Fleming, Aggreko Northern Europe, explores how healthcare facilities can meet existing demand for steam for a variety of uses harnessing new steam technology, and, in the process, bridge the gap to long-term solutions

Karina Jones, an IHEEM-registered Authorising Engineer (Water), and member of the Institute’s Water Technical Platform, considers some of the most prevalent hazardous waterborne bacteria found in healthcare premises, and the key steps to keep their growth and transmission in check.

A-Gas (UK), a leading UK independent blender and distributor of speciality gases and chemicals, says that many users of the highly versatile HCFC 22 (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) refrigerant gas, including hospitals, are still either unaware, or not taking action to address, this year’s ban on the use of both virgin R22, and other virgin HCFC refrigerant gases, in equipment such as air conditioning plant.

IHEEM recently agreed approval procedures for seminars and courses.

An expert explains how to effectively test medical gas systems for mobile healthcare units.

A UPS system is the central building block of a Power Continuity Plan in medical facilities, but such equipment requires careful maintenance to continue fulfilling its vital role in delivering power resilience, and avoid catastrophic downtime, and potentially tens of thousands of pounds in costs to rectify the issues caused by poor maintenance.