Note: This information is a draft version only and all content is currently being reviewed.
The process detailed below is to be followed when determining the level of engineering services and facilities required at each site. (Refer to the Checklist for Assessing Performance Requirements.)
For each facility:
To determine the engineering services that are required within a site it is first necessary to assess the security of the relevant engineering services available to the site. The following should be considered for each of the services:
An EES review is required as part of an asset management plan. An analysis must be conducted of the service supply requirements applicable to the buildings, site or property category based on the assessment of the need for reliability of supplies to the site and consideration of the particular circumstances of each site. This analysis is to be conducted using a risk management approach as contained in Australian Standard AS 4360.
Essential Engineering Services Planning and Proformas, provide general guidance on the level of capability to be provided to sites according to their criticality category.
For each essential engineering service determine the security of supplies required to meet the service delivery requirements appropriate to the category of the facility. Infrastructure considered critical to the State of Victoria will need to be confirmed by public health and/or the DHS risk management branch.
For each EES, the design of the system is to reflect that which best meets the security requirements. For existing facilities, review the design of the engineering services to assess their ability to meet the security requirements.
Where capital works are required to meet the assessed security requirements, initiate and progress appropriate projects in accordance with the procedures contained in the Capital Development Guideline series.
It should be considered that supply failures will still occur in spite of all risk assessment and facility planning processes undertaken. All sites must undertake a risk assessment and maintain and periodically exercise appropriate contingency plans and emergency procedures. Contingency planning must include the following:
This guideline is intended to provide guidance on the levels of reliability to be achieved. The means of achieving that reliability will vary depending on the circumstances pertaining to each site.
Facilities are to maintain records of EES and risk assessment and when required provide DHS/CMB with current information on the essential engineering services at each facility (refer to the EES Data Proforma) and reports on the results of Annual Black Start Tests.
The information on essential engineering services is to be considered when DHS seeks infrastructure upgrade requests annually and whenever facility development and redevelopments are undertaken. This will enable the Capital Management Branch and Divisional Representative to prepare their own contingency plans and responses.
The security of essential engineering services to the site are to be reviewed by Health Service/Agency boards following these processes at least every 3 years, or whenever significant changes occur to the facility site or to external supplies to the site.
An incident report is to be prepared by the facility management for the Chief Officer or Board of Management whenever an incident occurs that involves the essential engineering services or invokes the operation of the emergency contingency plans. The report is to provide details of the incident, including the cause, the effects and the actions taken to prevent recurrence. Where a complete investigation of the incident is likely to take considerable time to complete, an interim incident report is to be compiled from the information available and a final incident report compiled when the investigations are complete.
A copy of the interim incident report, where applicable, and a copy of the final report are to be forwarded to the Capital Management Branch as soon as practicable after the incident.
Failures of essential engineering services will occur. It is the responsibility of management of each site to ensure that all risks have been considered and assessed and that appropriate actions have been taken to safeguard their duty of care. Those engaged in the planning, design and delivery of hospital facilities must ensure that their designs (and the implementation thereof) match the responsibilities of the facility management for patient and client safety and for the delivery of health and community care services. This guideline aims to assist management in meeting those responsibilities. It also serves to remind management of their obligations for contingency planning and for the continued provision of basic data for DHS planning purposes.