Case Studies
A selection of some of the more recent IM+SS projects are summarised below. Please get in touch for more information.
Major Transportation Hub Asset Survey, Tagging and Condition Assessment
Brief
IM+SS were approached by a major FM Services provider to provide expert support in relation to carrying out a full asset validation, tagging and condition survey for all M&E infrastructure assets on a major UK transportation hub. The project required surveying of assets on multiple buildings in two geographical locations. There was a requirement to ensure a consistent approach to recording M&E asset data to ensure that our client’s operational delivery would be underpinned by robust and accurate data. This was to ensure that each and every asset was correctly identified allowing our client to assign the correct and most appropriate maintenance regime.
Approach
Creation of a contract specific asset hierarchy to ensure the collected asset data aligned with the existing asset information, maintenance schedules to ensure that the data could be loaded into the CAFM system in a seamless transition.
Our team of surveyors carried out the surveys utilising Mobiess Asset Inspector software on a tablet with the required internet connectivity. This allowed for collected data to be synchronised back to the IM+SS network within minutes of it being collected making the data instantaneously accessible for analysis.
The use of this platform complemented the existing set of advanced processes, improving project delivery time and overall quality. All collected asset data was quality assured by our Project Manager and this ensured that it was accurately transposed into our clients required asset collection matrix. The output from this include included detailed asset information, unique tag reference number and QR code, overall asset condition based on a visual assessment allowing a review of the asset’s life expectancy based on CIBSE guidelines and an estimated replacement cost based on published cost data sources (in the case SPONS).
This approach helped us to achieve the following:
- Improved collection rates
- Reduced return visits
- Paperless survey result
- Quicker response in producing reports to the customer
- Improved quality of data collected
- Consistency in data collection and coding
- Reduced administrative costs
- Increased productivity
The benefit of using this approach provided a structured approach to tagging and coding of the assets using configurable multi-level hierarchies and database driven pick lists specifically required by this particular client.
Review of Annual Fire Strategy and Associated Technical Audit - Critical Care NHS Hospital
Over a 6-week period the IM+SS Ltd Project Team were assigned to undertake a complete review of the Annual Fire Strategy of this newly built NHS Hospital, in conjunction with completing a Technical Audit.
The Challenge
To ensure that the works did not impact on patient services and that all facilities and services remained available.
In addition to these works being undertaken, the UK and in particular the NHS and the Infection Control Units faced a new challenge in the guise of the Coronavirus Pandemic, as did the IM+SS team in being able to safely coordinate these works, whilst maintaining the newly devised Social Distancing practices.
Passive Fire Protection
The IM+SS Project Team coordinated an intrusive inspection of the passive fire protection, to compartmentalise and contain both the smoke and the fire that included:
- Fire Door Inspections
- Fire Seals (compartmentation)
- Fire Signage
- Fire Risk Assessment
During the project we also completed a 10% intrusive sample inspection of the fire seals around the fire doors by removal of the architraves.
The Project Team also reviewed the fire seal detail against the original design scope to ensure that the correct materials were used when carrying out repairs to fire compartments.
Active Fire Protection
The IM+SS team were also engaged to complete a full Technical Audit of the following active Fire Systems:
- Fire Alarm and Detection Systems
- Fire Curtains
- Fire Refuge Phones
- Fire/Smoke Dampers
- Sprinklers and Hydrants
- Smoke Ventilation
Following the audit the IM+SS team were able to guarantee Statutory Compliance and also advise the Trust on future maintenance savings.
Pandemic Planning
Whilst completing the project, the IM+SS Team were instrumental in Risk Assessing the works, working closely with Infection Control and the Contractors to reduce the risk of both injury and the spread of the infection, this included:
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- In advance of site attendance employees’ names and competency
- Site induction
- Hand Washing tool box talk
- Social Distancing Practices
- PPE Inspections
Creations of Standard and Emergency Operating Procedures - Data Centre
When a major communications company with national mobile coverage decided to safeguard operational capability on multiple sites, they decided to review Operating Procedures for the systems in their data centres and they turned to IM+SS Ltd for help.
Operating Procedures are a critical part of support service functions and cover both Standard Operation as well as Emergency scenarios. Accurate procedures detailing the step by step processes of the operation of equipment must be available for reference and to ensure standardisation of operation. The procedures must be capable of use by inexperienced personnel, or in the event of the unavailability of technical expertise familiar with the sites, visiting engineers from other locations. This ensures that whatever the situation, mistakes will be minimised and the site will remain fully operational at all times.
We provided an experienced Associate with the multiple skills that such a task would require. Initial meetings were held with the Client and preliminary targets for the project were agreed. The Associate’s first task was to survey each of the sites to determine what equipment was on site and to understand how each system operated. Key to this was the speedy development of close working relationships with on-site technical teams.
It is vital that close relationships are formed to process such an undertaking. As well as working closely with senior managers to report progress, our Associate developed working relationships with local personnel at each site. Site operatives are already overwhelmed with normal day to day duties so it is important that their goodwill is earned and nurtured. The operation of the systems has to be translated into easy to understand logical steps which can be followed by anyone new to the system.
Each site has different systems and equipment although a measure of standardisation is always present. Our Associate identified the complete set of individual actions that needed to be set out into relatively uncomplicated written schedules. Each schedule or Procedure had to be tested and verified to ensure that the finished product was accurate was capable of being utilised in both normal situations and, more importantly, emergency conditions following failures or outages.
The project closed following handover of the approved documentation and familiarisation sessions with the site operations teams to ensure that each of the procedures was understood and that they new where to find them as and when the need should arise in the future.
Help Desk Procedures - PFI Critical Care Hospital
IM+SS Ltd are not limited to large scale project management or solutions for high level technical investigations and surveys. Support services involve many different processes and procedures which are necessary to ensure the smooth flow of service delivery. We have a track record of providing successful delivery of multi layered solutions to difficult problems at many levels faced by service providers for both public and private organisations. One such element that is of great importance but is hidden in the back office is the FM Help Desk.
Service Providers are under intense pressure to reduce costs, streamline services and yet provide high quality levels of customer satisfaction. Help Desks are usually the focal point for all Client problems and as such it is the most ‘visible’ of all service delivery functions. Minor difficulties with Help Desk flow can result in serious issues leading to highly detrimental customer dissatisfaction: unfairly in some cases.
A leading hospital’s board and service delivery provider had both recognised that their Help Desk needed to be reviewed. The overall operation was quite complex and involved liaisons and communications at many levels so the team decided to start the project by re-writing the formal flow processes for the logging of faults and the subsequent issue of them to maintenance units.
IM+SS Ltd provided an Associate with the relevant skills and ability to work closely with all the Help Desk Operatives to fully understand how and why the process was not delivering. The information was assimilated and we agreed the new, improved process with all stakeholders before beginning the process documentation. As a result, IM+SS Ltd were able to create and provide a new manual for issue to all personnel breaking down every part of the fault flow process providing standardisation across all sites with increased throughput and dispatch of faults.
Further phases are scheduled to follow that will integrate this basic package into the main fault resolution process and improve communications with the Client.
