Theatres refurbishment

Solution

Following 20 years of operation, both UCV’s were brought up to current standards through:

Electrical Works & Standards

Full electrical rewire were completed in accordance with the current edition of BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) and aligned with healthcare-specific guidance under HTM 06-01 (Electrical services supply and distribution).

Where applicable within the clinical environment, consideration was also given to BS 7671 Section 710 (Medical Locations) to ensure compliance with requirements for critical care areas such as operating theatres.

The scope included:

• Full electrical rewiring of UCV canopy systems
• Replacement / verification of control components and associated containment
• Verification of circuit protection and discrimination

Inspection, Testing & Certification

All installed and modified circuits were subject to inspection and testing in accordance with Part 6 of BS 7671, including:

• Continuity of protective conductors
• Insulation resistance testing
• Polarity verification
• R1+R2 measurements
• Earth fault loop impedance (Zs)
• Functional testing of control systems and safety interlocks

Certification was completed via Electrical Installation Certificates (EIC) and supporting test documentation. In addition, validation checks were undertaken to ensure integration with existing theatre systems and to confirm safe operation within a live healthcare environment.

UCV Upgrades & Ventilation Compliance

As part of the refurbishment, the UCV canopy systems were modernised to improve performance, efficiency, and compliance with current healthcare standards:

• Replacement of legacy three-phase fan systems with modern EC (electronically commutated) fans, improving energy efficiency, controllability, and reliability
• Removal and replacement of all HEPA filters within the UCV canopies
• Full servicing and optimisation of canopy systems

UCV verification testing was completed, including:

• HEPA filter integrity testing
• Air velocity grid measurements
• Non-entrainment testing to confirm protection of the surgical field

All ventilation works and verifications were carried out in accordance with HTM 03-01 (2021) – Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises.

These improvements are expected to reduce energy consumption while contributing to enhanced surgical conditions and patient outcomes.