PROJECT 25
Plumbing enhances patient care
By
Tanya Olckers with technical input from Kamva Ndlala , engineer with Maninga Engineering
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital recently built an adult burns intensive care unit ( ICU ) that needed some special plumbing aspects for patient care .
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital recently built an adult burns intensive care unit ( ICU ) that needed some special plumbing aspects for patient care .
A bodily injury that is devastating to the patient : burns . Many incidents involving burns to an individual are life changing to say the least . Above all , these patients need highly specialised care during their recovery .
Patients recovering from burns to their bodies need different care to those recovering from surgery . There are specific environmental conditions needed because they have lost the protective layers of their skin that affect the body ’ s ability to regulate its internal temperature . Hypothermia can affect most patients . This makes temperature , humidity control , and other aspects of patient care , critical . Therefore , it is vital to maintain higher levels of temperature and a minimum of 50 % relative humidity since hypothermia can increase the patient ’ s risk of death .
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital has opened a stateof-the-art adult burns unit . The project was funded by a donation from University of Witwatersrand alumni . " Meticulous coordination among the Maninga Engineering team and various consultants and contractors was imperative as the project encompassed the full suite of mechanical engineering services ( such as , wet services , medical gases , lifts , and HVAC systems ) designed by Maninga Engineering , “ Managing these disciplines ensured seamless integration and adherence to project timelines ,” says Kamva Ndlala , the lead engineer with Maninga Engineering .
Images supplied by Maninga Engineering
( from left to right ) Daniel Delport , Lungelo Sibande , Kamva Ndlala , Sikhulile Nhassengo
“ We designed the burns unit using international guidelines due to the lack of local standards . In these burns units , the temperature is kept between 26 ° C and 28 ° C , and the humidity is set between 50 % and 60 %.” This is much warmer and more humid compared to regular hospital rooms . As a result , the HVAC systems for these units were specially designed to maintain these conditions consistently , ensuring a safe and effective environment for burn patients .
“ The level of thermal comfort varies depending on the individual and their particular burn injury .”
Piping reticulation
October 2024 Volume 30 I Number 8 www . plumbingafrica . co . za