Work on the Nightingale hospitals can form a blueprint for the construction industry to follow, according to the managing director of an East Yorkshire firm involved in the build-out.
Kingston Joinery has been praised for its efforts throughout the Covid-19 response, having been deployed to Birmingham by principal contractor Interserve.
Now, reflecting on the intense effort, Craig O’Leary believes lessons learned will help the wider industry return to work.
The Melton Business Park team helped convert the National Exhibition Centre to a field hospital, allowing it to take up to 500 coronavirus patients at a time should hospitals across the Midlands become full.
As yet the extra space has thankfully not been required as England has seen a steady fall in the number of coronavirus patients requiring hospital treatment.
A team of 22 joiners spent a week on site as a total team of more than 400 civilian contractors, along with military personnel and around 500 clinical staff, converted the central location.
“As a company we have completed a number of major joinery contracts for Interserve in recent years but out of all the work we have done I don’t think any have been anywhere near this in terms of significance, challenge or sense of achievement,” said Mr O’Leary, who launched the business in 2007, having worked in a timber yard from the age of 15.
“There was a real sense of need as we were approaching the peak of the pandemic at the time and it certainly appeared that this facility could be needed quickly – and of course it still could.
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“Quite rightly all workers on site throughout the build had to follow strict hygiene rules at all times throughout this build, but it was a perfect example of how major developments can be constructed safely under the tightest controls.
“That is what is going to have to become commonplace now as we all begin to return to sites in larger number.”
New risk assessments and method statements were explained in detail ahead of work beginning, while Kingston Joinery’s site managers conducted their own on-site toolbox talks to ensure all were aware of the extra measures that needed to be taken to lower risk of infection.
These included workers being encouraged to travel independently to and from site and avoid public transport, daily briefings being held only where 2m spacing could be achieved, tools only being accessible by one worker at a time from chests opened by a specific key holder, staggered break times, extensive and constant cleaning of surfaces and that all tasks carried out by single operatives where possible.
“We are all aware of the need to regularly wash hands and keep social distance, but we will now all need to work to clear guidelines, specific to each site and project, on accessing and using materials and tools, the potential contamination of surfaces, working with large materials and managing unavoidable close contact carefully,” Mr O’Leary said.
“I am proud that our team have demonstrated their ability to work under these conditions on one of the country’s most important projects.”
Branded chain hotels, student accommodation and education settings have been familiar sites for the team, and Kingston’s expertise was called upon to help construct the medical bays within the facility, including fitting pattresses - connection boxes - to bays and floors for electrics, nursing units at the ends of individual beds, handrails to ramps and pipe boxing for gas and air supplies.
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Throughout the week all members of the team had to follow strict new health and safety guidelines.
Paul Bentley, contracts manager at Kingston,, oversaw the firm’s work on the project and said it was something everybody was "immensely proud" to have been involved in.
“We were contacted urgently by Interserve on Saturday, April 4 and required to provide carpentry and joinery services by the following Monday. There was a real sense of national need and importance and in that situation you really do have to step up to the mark.
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“The atmosphere on site was very positive due to the nature of what we were all pulling together to achieve. It is very humbling when you are greeted with something on a vast scale like it was.”
It was opened by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, on April 16, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock also addressing those who had worked on the project, via videolink.
Craig Tatton, managing director for 海角视频 Building at Interserve, described the delivery by all as “nothing short of miraculous”.