Capital Development Guidelines

Note: This information is a draft version only and all content is currently being reviewed.

Levels of criticality range from facilities that must be kept open at all costs for a period exceeding several days to those from which it would be more practical to decant patients and clients to another facility. For the purposes of this guideline facilities are categorised as either Category 1, 2 or 3.

Category 1 Facilities

Under circumstances of continued loss or unavailability of one or more essential engineering services from the usual source of supply, Category 1 facilities must have the capability of delivering on a continuous basis all critical health services required to maintain:

• Critical health care and trauma services including support services such as imaging, sterilisation, linen, pharmaceutical, disposal, food, and air-conditioning (where essential)
• DHS direct delivery services (including emergency management, public safety, custodial services and duty of care) such as Juvenile Justice, Disability and Forensic facilities and Departmental (Head Office) responsibilities.

Electricity

• Compliance with AS3009 Electrical Installations - Emergency Power Supplies in Hospitals
• Connection to more than one feeder from independent substations
• Distribution within facility by ring main
• Back-up generators rated for the continuous delivery of 100 per cent of load required to maintain the delivery of services defined above. The system shall be designed and regularly tested to ensure orderly start-up and connection of load under black start conditions (Refer to the Annual Black Start Tests proformas)
• On-site fuel for 48 hours operation
• Written contract for priority fuel supply
• Point for the rapid and safe connection of transportable emergency generators
• UPS for critical areas and equipment. UPS systems are to be installed in accordance with the existing standards and equipment specifications.

Gas

• Capability to operate facilities using alternate fuels (eg LPG, diesel)
• Connection points for alternate fuel for each critical area or fuel storage (eg Synthetic Natural Gas SNG)
• Alternate fuel storage for 48 hours operation
• Written contracts for priority supply of alternate fuel
• Prior certification of equipment (e.g. boilers) when using alternate fuel.

Water

• Access to an alternative tapping point or one of the following:
  • Arrangement with a potable water supply agent
  • Sufficient storage capacity for 48 hours operation
• Connection points for tanker supplies
• Distribution within facility by ring main
• Separate supply from fire service supply.

Sewerage and Drainage

• Emergency power available to pumps
• Access and connection point for removal of waste by tanker
• Emergency overflow and retention capability.

Communications

• Alternate External Trunk Communications – eg separate cables to exchange, microwave system. Note that mobile phone networks are likely to become overloaded under widespread emergency conditions and will therefore not provide reliable alternate communications under all conditions
• Alternate switchboard
• Emergency power available to switchboards
• Emergency power for internal communications (eg PA system, paging system, nurse call system)
• Emergency Control Room requirements, eg emergency power, radios, mobile phones.

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Fire Services and HVAC

• Audited compliance with relevant standards and DHS regulations
• Sufficient power and water to operate systems.

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Category 2 Facilities

Under circumstances of continued loss or unavailability of one or more essential engineering services from the usual source of supply Category 2 facilities must have the capability to deliver all critical health services at normal levels for a period of at least 48 hours to maintain:

• Critical health care and trauma services including support services such as imaging, sterilisation, linen, pharmaceutical, disposal, food, and air-conditioning (where essential)
• DHS direct delivery services (including emergency management, public safety, custodial services and duty of care) such as secure welfare, Disability and Forensic facilities and Departmental (Office) responsibilities.

Electricity

• Compliance with AS3009 Electrical Installations - Emergency Power Supplies in Hospitals
• Connection to more than one feeder from independent substations where available, or connection to proven reliable single feeder
• Access to alternate feeder desirable
• Distribution within facility by ring main where practicable
• Back-up generators rated for the continuous delivery of 100 per cent of essential loads required to maintain the delivery of services defined above. The system shall be designed and regularly tested to ensure orderly start-up and connection of load under “black start” conditions (see Appendix I: Annual Black Start Test)
• On-site fuel for 48 hours operation
• Written contract for fuel supply of appropriate priority
• Point for the rapid and safe connection of transportable emergency generators
• UPS for critical areas and equipment. UPS systems are to be installed in accordance with the existing standards and equipment specifications.

Gas

• Capability to operate facilities using alternate fuels (e.g. LPG, diesel)
• Connection points for alternate fuel for each area or fuel storage (e.g. SNG)
• Written contracts for alternate fuel supplies
• Prior certification of equipment (e.g. boilers) when using alternate fuel.

Water

• Access to an alternative tapping point or one of the following:
  • Arrangement with a potable water supply agent
  • Sufficient storage capacity for 48 hours operation
• Connection points for tanker supplies
• Distribution within facility by ring main
• Separate supply from fire service supply.

Sewerage and Drainage

• Capability to deploy emergency pumps
• Access and connection point for removal of waste by tanker
• Emergency overflow and retention capability.

Communications

• Desirable alternate external trunk communications e.g. separate cables to exchange, microwave system. Note that mobile phone networks are likely to become overloaded under widespread emergency conditions and will therefore not provide reliable alternate communications under all conditions
• Limited capability alternate switchboard
• Emergency power available to switchboards
• Emergency power for internal communications (e.g. PA system, paging system, nurse call system)
• Emergency Control Room requirements, e.g. emergency power, radios, mobile phones.

Fire Services and HVAC

• Audited compliance with relevant Standards and DHS regulations
• Sufficient power and water to operate systems.

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Category 3 Facilities

All facilities other than Category 1 and 2 facilities are classified as Category 3 facilities and must have the following capabilities:

• For limited duration disruption have the capability to assure health and safety and maintain limited services to existing patients, clients and staff, but not necessarily to accept new or additional patients or clients
• For a potentially long disruption, have the capability to maintain services for sufficient duration to support a pre-planned transfer of patients and clients to another facility.

Electricity

• Compliance with AS3009 Electrical Installations - Emergency Power Supplies in Hospitals
• Access to alternate feeder if available
• Back-up generators rated for the continuous delivery of 100 per cent of load required to maintain the delivery of the services defined above
• Point for the rapid and safe connection of transportable emergency generators desirable
• UPS for critical areas and equipment. UPS systems are to be installed in accordance with the existing standards and equipment specifications.

Gas

• Access to alternate fuel supplies (e.g. LPG, diesel)
• Ability to connect alternate fuel supplies
• Prior certification of boilers with alternate fuel desirable.

Water

• Connection points for tanker supplies.

Sewerage and Drainage

• Access and connection point for removal of waste by tanker
• Emergency overflow and retention capability.

Communications

• Access to alternate communications (e.g. mobile phones, radio). Note that mobile phone networks are likely to become overloaded under widespread emergency conditions and may therefore not provide reliable alternate communications under all conditions
• Emergency power for internal communications (e.g. PA system, paging system, nurse call system).

Fire Services and HVAC

• Audited compliance with relevant Standards and DHS regulations

Sufficient power and water to operate fire systems.