The $27-million, 52,000-sq-ft expansion of MultiCare Health System's Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center required crews to work while the adjoining hospital remained in operation.

The team worked closely with the hospital, issuing more than 125 impact statements throughout the project to communicate and coordinate critical shutdowns and other construction procedures that could affect ongoing hospital operations.

Daily infection-control risk assessments and inspections were done to verify that there was no infiltration of containments; that infection-control barriers were functioning properly; and that patient safety was never compromised.

A project-specific safety plan was put in place during preconstruction and initial scheduling sessions. The safety program also included daily meetings between the superintendent and the foremen for each trade to review safety items specific to the activities taking place that day.

Each morning, field teams participated in a stretching program. Focused on creating a program that provided real results, an outside expert analyzed routine activities and common incidents seen in the construction trades to assist in developing an effective ergonomics program.

The two-story project reported no OSHA recordable incidents and no lost-time accidents.

MultiCare Health System's Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center Expansion, Tacoma, Wash.

Key Players

Owner MultiCare Health System

Architect HDR Architecture Inc.

General Contractor Sellen Construction

Interior Design Consultant Bainbridge

Electrical Engineer VECA Electric

Mechanical Engineer Hermanson Mechanical

structural Engineer PCS Structural Solutions

Specialty Construction Anning-Johnson Co.