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Relationships Built to Last in Eastern Kentucky

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Just like a structure, relationships are built one step at a time. In Ashland Kentucky, relationship building is a fundamental aspect of their day-to-day operations. Thanks to that dedication, they have secured more local work for IKORCC members.

 

Ongoing meetings over three years led to a signed Infectious Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) agreement with King’s Daughters Medical Center. This ICRA agreement made the contractors with ICRA trained UBC members the obvious choice for their $100 million expansion in Ashland.

 

Senior Representative Jerry Yates says using real-world hospital equipment at the local training center pushed the partnership over the edge for success. Based on the current projection of work, it is expected at least 60 members will stay busy on this project.

 

Relationships are tested through tough times, but they usually emerge stronger in the end.  Eastern Kentucky saw several weeks of historic flash flooding in the Spring. When two nearby partner trade schools experienced this detrimental flooding in March, the Ashland Hub knew they wanted to help. They coordinated donations from the council to help repair a flooded carpenter shop and assist students whose homes had experienced flooding. Local 472 also donated a commercial gas stove to a community senior center cooking food for the elderly and families in need.

 

 

Thank You Healthcare Heroes

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As states continue to reopen and coronavirus cases surge in many areas, healthcare workers are still battling COVID-19.

To show our appreciation for their continued dedication, we’ve thanked over 60 hospitals across Indiana, Kentucky, & Ohio. To our current and future ICRA (Infection Control Risk Assessment) partners, thank you for working on the frontlines. The importance of infection control during hospital construction has always been an integral part of our training & we are proud to partner with so many amazing facilities that put patient safety first.

Learn more about our Infection Control Risk Assessment training or our 8-hour ICRA classes at ikorcc.com/ICRA

 

Union carpenters build with infection control protocols.

Carpenters Build COVID-19 Surge Hospital

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As COVID-19 cases hit the second wave in many places, hospitals search for space for the influx of patients. Normally, it takes years to plan & build a new hospital. With help from union carpenters & Turner Construction, the Cleveland Clinic did it in 18 days.

Carpenters converted a medical education building into a COVID-19 surge hospital. Union carpenters built the 477,000 square-foot facility years earlier. Now, they’ve transformed it into a 1,006-bed hospital for COVID-19 patients.

It took 10,000 man-hours & 65 craftsmen working in two shifts 24/7. Union carpenters constructed 30 patient restrooms, converted 50,000 square-feet of shelled space into 360 medical surge beds, converted 300,000 square feet of educational space into 640 medical surge beds,  and installed 326 headwalls feeding 1,000 beds.

Hope Hospital opened in April & was a big step toward reopening the economy in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I think it’s important to play your part in the community. I just want to make sure I’m doing mine.” David Charon, Local 373

Thank you to our union carpenters, Turner Construction & the Cleveland Clinic for doing this essential work.

 

Building Healthcare Partners at AIA Ohio Conference

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In early October 2018, the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) was a Platinum Sponsor at the AIA Ohio Convention in Toledo, Ohio. AIA Ohio is part of the elite society of the American Institute of Architects. The society shares similar concentrations to the IKORCC. Both organizations are working to produce positive legislative and governmental development in licensing requirements and construction appropriations.

IKORCC’s very own, Jay Patz, Instructor from Northwest Indiana, spoke in a breakout session highlighting ICRA patient safety in facilities. Jay shared astonishing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control regarding hospital associated infections. Those statistics included information about patients who survived infection to those infections that led to death. Within the scope of those statistics, 5,000 of patients lost their lives due to a construction related hospital associated infection.  

It is IKORCC’s goal to open the line of communication for pre-planning opportunities. Jay showed that this level of communication will allow for patient safety to be the number one priority, and increase the effectiveness of the architect and workers on the jobsite.

Keynote Speaker, Coren Sharples, founding partner of SHoP Architects, wowed her audience with new unconventional ways to approach design. Her designs focus on the beautifully practical. The future holds learning opportunities for IKORCC apprentices and the Council at large. The convention was capped with many educational avenues with which the Council can engage.

8 Hour Awareness Classes Going Strong!

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IKORCC teaches an 8 hour ICRA classes throughout our region. This is an awareness class for hospital and indusutry firms to demonstrate the best ways to continue preventing infection during hospital construction. Here is Ron Clements teaching an 8hr ICRA class at Goshen Hospital in Goshen, IN for the infection control Dept, plant ops, and I.T dept.

Thank You Memorial Hospital of South Bend Indiana

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Memorial Hospital of South Bend, a Beacon Health Systems property, has made the commitment to utilizing fair area standards contractors. Most recently have just completed a $50 million children’s hospital and are committed to our ICRA standards. Thank you Memorial Hospital.

ICRA program continues to make hospital construction safer

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The Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) Program provides patient-focused training for Carpenters and other trades working in hospitals, medical facilities or other occupied spaces. Workers who attend the training learn about containing pathogens, controlling airflow and recognizing and properly disposing of hazardous materials. By learning how to keep hospital construction sites safe and infection-free, attendees gain skills that set them apart from the rest of the field.

We are proud to work with other trades to ensure safety across all spectrums of hospital construction and appreciate their ongoing commitment to patient and staff safety. The dedication of other crafts to excellence in healthcare construction is demonstrated by sending 3,467 of their members through the ICRA 8-Hour Awareness Training.

  • Sprinkler Fitters
  • Cement Finishers
  • Roofers
  • Insulators
  • Sheet Metal
  • Plumbers and Pipefitters
  • Electricians

Do you want to ensure infection control best practices are used by construction workers in upcoming renovation or construction projects at your healthcare facility? Contact Brad Murphy at 317-605-1386 or bmurphy@ikorcc.com for a list of contractors in your area that use ICRA-trained staff.

Construction ICRA Best Practices is an innovative program that provides patient-focused training for Carpenters and other trades working in hospitals, medical facilities or other occupied spaces. This set of best practices helps prevent the spread of disease and infection during construction at healthcare facilities. ICRA instructors also offer training opportunities to healthcare facility staff.

ICRA in the news!

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The Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) program was recently featured on PortageLife.com for its efforts to keep hospitals safe and infection-free during construction and renovation.

Workers Endeavor to Keep Hospital Safe with ICRA Training
Written by Kyle Hovanec 

For those involved in construction or the upkeep of a hospital, taking the necessary steps to maintain a clean and safe environment during construction and maintenance projects is an essential precaution needed to keep people safe. Following these steps goes beyond simple exercises such as washing hands, it requires the knowledge and training taught by professionals to make sure each project is safe. ICRA involves methods and strategies taught by the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) to teach and prepare workers for working safely and efficiently in healthcare environments by teaching them methods designed to understand infection and contamination risks, specialized procedures, proper job site conduct and dress as well as proper communication.

Read the full article!

Do you want to ensure infection control best practices are used by construction workers in upcoming renovation or construction projects at your healthcare facility? Contact Brad Murphy at 317.605.1386 or bmurphy@ikorcc.com for a list of contractors in your area that use ICRA-trained staff.

Construction ICRA Best Practices is an innovative program that provides patient-focused training for Carpenters and other trades working in hospitals, medical facilities or other occupied spaces. This set of best practices helps prevent the spread of disease and infection during construction at healthcare facilities. ICRA instructors also offer training opportunities to healthcare facility staff.