The Client & The Project Scope
Client Introduction:The project was commissioned by the hospital’s estates team at a major NHS facility. The work took place in a highly sensitive, live healthcare environment, requiring strict adherence to safety and operational standards.
Project Scope: The initial scope was to replace a single existing distribution board with a new, client-supplied Schneider Acti9 board, including the installation of 72 RCBOs and a 250A main switch, transferring all existing circuits, comprehensive labelling and installing larger surrounding trunking for future upgrades.
The Challenge
The Critical Challenge: During the initial project to replace a single DB, an unforeseen and significant water leak occurred. This leak not only complicated the work but severely damaged the original DB and a second adjacent distribution board, necessitating the urgent replacement of two separate Distribution Boards to prevent long-term system failure and ensure patient safety.
Impact: The damage created an immediate safety risk and threatened the electrical supply to a critical area of a functioning hospital. The team had to quickly pivot from a planned single-DB replacement to an urgent, complex dual-DB system restoration, all while maintaining the highest safety standards in a live, operational healthcare setting.
The Solution
GBB’s Strategy: GBB Electrical Ltd. demonstrated rapid response and adaptability, immediately assessing the damage and formulating a strategy to replace both boards. The approach involved:
Quick Isolation & Safety First: Removed the water-damaged boards and made the area safe.
Fresh Install: Fitted two new Schneider Acti9 distribution boards supplied by the client.
Extra Capacity: Added additional boards with new RCBOs, main switches and meters to meet the site’s growing needs.
Detailed Circuit Work: Transferred and re-terminated all existing circuits, added new access holes and glands and upgraded the earth connection for reliability.
Built for the Future: Installed larger trunking and tidied up the riser to make future upgrades easier.
Fully Certified: Completed testing, certification, and compliance checks, all to NHS site standards and NICEIC requirements.
Unique Value: GBB’s experience in working within live healthcare environments was critical. The team provided a professional, unobtrusive service, quickly adapting the scope of work under pressure to an urgent dual-system replacement while managing the complexities of armoured and existing circuit cable termination and extension.
The Results
Quantifiable Outcomes: Two (2) major distribution boards successfully replaced and commissioned. 129 (72 + 57) new Schneider Acti9 RCBOs installed and terminated across the two main boards. Full electrical service restored to a Hospital Ward.
Qualitative Outcomes: Minimized Operational Disruption: Work was executed efficiently and cleanly, limiting impact on crucial hospital operations.
Enhanced Safety: The new Acti9 boards and RCBOs, combined with updated earth connection and wiring arrangement, significantly improved the safety and reliability of the ward’s electrical infrastructure.
Clarity and Maintainability: Detailed labelling of all circuits both on the board and internally facilitated easy identification for future maintenance.