Out of sight should not be out of mind

Where hospital budgets are under pressure, roof maintenance and repairs are often addressed reactively as issues occur. Here Tom Kerr, Sales director at Langley Waterproofing Systems, explains why establishing the condition of flat roofs, and taking a long-term approach to maintenance, repair, and replacement, will help manage budgets more effectively and avoid unexpected costs. 

For hospitals and healthcare facilities, the primary concern will always be the welfare and comfort of patients and their families – and ensuring that all elements of the building continue to operate as designed. With this, it can be tempting to focus on the maintenance of the most commonly used and visible parts of the building at the expense of other areas that are out of sight, and, to some extent, out of mind. As such, roofs are often taken for granted, and will only be considered when something fails.

When a failure occurs, it can result in significant costs to fix, and disruption to the operation of the building. Water leaking into the wards, corridors, and even sterile areas, not only presents a safety concern in terms of a slip risk, but also a health issue if it causes damp and mould to develop. In this situation parts of the building may have to be closed until they can be fixed, and the fact that many facilities must operate 24 hours a day and all year round means that minimising this kind of disruption is vital.