CRI Project Update/BSB Occupants' Meeting
June 13, 2002 BSB 120
Next meeting: June 27, 1:30 p.m., BSB120

MRE - A second approval on the appearance of the MRE building elevations was received from the City. Mac McClinton reviewed the drawings of the building showing the integration of the stacks for the boilers and the replication of finishes used in the CRI. He pointed out that glass block was used for sound attenuation on the floor where the chillers will be located and the location of the cooling towers on the roof. Mac expects the remaining details can be worked out with the staff and that this was the last meeting with the BAR on this project.

Joe Avant noted the location of the Infectious Waste Disposal Buildings.

Mr. McClinton reported that there appears to be adequate existing building services---chilled water, steam and domestic water to construct the CRI, bearing in mind that only two floors (1 and 2) will be completely finished during this initial phase of construction. Obviously, the building services required to support the entire CRI, with all floors in service, will be included in the MRE. The MRE's projected completion date is August 1st, 2003. In order to accommodate the increased steam capacity required to finish the CRI, the boilers will be turned up 5 lbs/mo until they reach 100 PSI.

CRI - The critical path is as follows: utilities tunnel, pile caps, grade beams, masonry, precast planks (starting October 2002) and structural steel (starting in November 2002). Work on the utilities tunnel is continuing with another 100 feet of the walls and roof being poured 6/14/02.

The bathroom renovations on 2, 5, and 6 are continuing. The second floor drywall is nearly completed; the subs will then move on to the 6th floor. On the 5th floor, only the ceiling and lights are lacking; it is hoped that we can turn this restroom back over to the occupants next Friday, June 28th. In preparation for the eventual breakthrough to the CRI, construction has begun in the former women?s rooms in the main lobby areas on 3, 4 and 5. No other restrooms will be taken out of service until the renovations on 2, 5 and 6 are complete. It is common knowledge that the elevators in BSB are sporadically operable at best. While rework of the elevators is part of the overall plan for the CRI construction, it was originally anticipated that the rework would be performed just before the building was released to the occupants, for several reasons:

1. Once the elevators are turned back over to the owner, the warranty period and subsequent maintenance contract begin; to do part of the work and then make the elevators accessible to the occupants will require an interim service contract ($$$$).

2. The rework project includes new finishes in the cabs, door jambs, buttons, etc. These new finishes are susceptible to damage if completed early in the building construction project.

3. Asbestos abatement requires the temporary closing of the main lobby in order to build the tunnel thru which the occupants will access the operable elevators. To further complicate this issue the safest and most direct route for removal and disposal of the asbestos would be through the back of the building which would necessitate the removal of the LAM autoclave that is located just on the other side of the wall separating the main lobby from the old loading dock. The platform would then be used by Kahn to perform the structure modifications and steel erection necessary for the monumental stair.

In order to get the work deck to the loading dock area without dismantling the autoclave, we are investigating the possibly of building the deck over the top of the autoclave. Because of constraints on the animal facilities through out the campus, preserving the availability of autoclave service to BSB is of paramount importance. Furthermore, the animal holding area cannot move to another part of the campus and will have to wait for the 7th floor of the new CRI building before the 7th floor of BSB can be upgraded with new facilities and a new autoclave. Therefore, if the monumental stair progresses as currently scheduled, the animal facility could be without an autoclave in the BSB/CRI building from January, 2003 until January, 2005. Using the work deck platform over the existing elevator lobby and autoclave, could preserve the use of the autoclave for another 3 months. We are currently exploring temporary facility options and disposable equipment options to overcome the need for an autoclave or have alternate accommodations for the research animals on the 7th floor.

Back to the elevator upgrade: We would like to begin the elevator upgrade as soon as possible. We believe it best to perform the elevator upgrade in two phases to expedite the improved efficiency and preserve the condition of the cab and doors until the project?s completion. This option will include an interim service agreement. The contractor will be furnished with service records of the existing elevators to help determine the ongoing problems and decide which elevators are the most troublesome and should be taken out of service first; the elevators will be taken out of commission two at a time. Rework of each pair of elevators will require eleven weeks. During that time Kone (the upgrades contractor) will be responsible for the maintenance of all four passenger elevators.

Joe Avant from Occupational Safety and Health attended the meeting in order to answer occupants' questions about the glitches in the current procedure to dispose of infectious waste. He reported that some strides had been made in dealing with both the disruption caused by the construction in the area of the old loading dock where waste and clean bins had been previously stored, and the inability of the present disposal company to respond quickly to our waste disposal requests.

Clean bins will now be stored on the old loading dock so that the clean bins and dirty bins are not inadvertently mingled in the waste trailer. This will enable Housekeeping to deliver clean bins as a normal part of their housekeeping protocol at night, as well as, to respond to the unforeseen request for a clean bin during the day. Normally, the bins are removed from the point of generation by Housekeeping at night and placed in the waste trailer for removal by the disposal company. OSH continues to work with the disposal company to determine the optimum schedule for removal of the waste.

Dr. Krug stated that the bins currently being used were too small. Joe Avant answered that the new contract specified the use of 96 gallon, rolling carts. Dr. Krug suggested that Joe send an email to the occupants describing the loss of the previous contract and the specifics of the new one.

Joe Avant emailed the following: The Environmental Protection Agency has closed the only infectious waste Disposal facility in the state and has placed the burden on the State of South Carolina infectious waste generators to find a disposal facility that can process their waste. Due to the large volume of infectious waste that MUSC generates companies that can dispose of our waste are limited. The selection of the company that we are currently using was based on their ability to process our volume of waste, compliance history, a successful audit of their disposal facility, their wiliness to provide reusable containers and competitive price. MUSC is in the process of formally bidding the infectious waste disposal service. The new contract will require the disposal company to provide the large disposal containers that we provided prior to the closing of the Hampton, S.C. incinerator. If you have questions or problems relating to the processing of our infectious waste please contact me at 2-3604.

Security - Dr. Krug suggested that the two east end exterior doors have access card readers added to them and not limit the elevators to floors 1-5. Leslie Kendall will research this suggestion and report back to Dr. Krug.

Note: Bob Waite pointed out that this would not work because there are no barriers to the east if one were to take the main elevators up to 2-5, and then take the dental elevator up to 6 or 7.

Update email from Mark Narowski: The card access system for the 5th floor will be activated Monday, 6/24/2002. The 6th floor has been tested, but room 634 still needs to have a Maglock added to the door. Also, Dr. Krug wants to move some fire doors around and he is campaigning to have some sort of card access for the back (dental) doors. The 7th floor hallway doors have been tested and all that is left to do is to install the electric strikes on the stairwell doors. We also need to address the DLAR hallway doors-- there is a substantial airflow that prevents the doors from closing properly. Other than a few minor problems that need to be corrected, we are making progress.

Attendees - Mac McClinton Jack Buchanan Kylie Martin Dr. Charlie Darby Joe Avant Leslie Kendall John Brubaker Laura Walters Hal Currey Dr. Mike Swindle Dwayne McMillian Hank Harrison Dr. Ed Krug