001011 MEDICAL CENTER REQUIREMENTS 2-5-2026.pdf

James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Relocate Police Dispatch

Project #621 23 104

01-28-25

MEDICAL CENTER REQUIREMENTS

00 10 11

Section 00 10 11

INDEX

Item Title Page

1. General Intention (Contact info)

2. Medical Center Orientation

3. Statement Of Work

4. Clearances, Badges, Parking Permits, and Keys

5. Supervision / Superintendent / Communications

6. Use Of Government-Owned Material And Equipment

7. Government Furnished Property

8. Contractor's Trailers

9. Road Closures

10. Delivery of Materials

11. Storage Area / Access Roads / & Docks

12. Utilities / Outages

13. Environmental Protection

14. Smoking Policy

15. Contract Worker's Safety Information

16. Patient Care Areas

17. General Construction Site Safety

18. Accident Prevention

19. Access to Construction Areas

20. Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM)

21. Fire Prevention

22. Fire Watch

23. Infection Control Orientation for Construction Workers

24. Airborne Dust Control During Construction

25. Trenching/Excavations

26. Hazardous Materials

27. Hazardous Spills

28. Lead Based Paint (LBP)

29. Contact with Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM)

30. Lock-Out / Tag-Out Energy Control Procedures

31. Energized Work Permits

32. Permit Required Confined Spaces

33. Fluorescent (PCB and/or Mercury Containing) Fixtures

34. Safety / Intermediate Inspections

SECTION 00 10 11

JAMES H. QUILLEN VA MEDICAL CENTER REQUIREMENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

SECURITY / SAFETY

RULES / REGULATIONS

POLICIES, PERMITS, & PROCEDURES

1. GENERAL INTENTION (CONTACT INFO).

A. This specification section pertains to station policy for construction projects performed at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at

Mountain Home (Johnson City), Tennessee 37684. Safety and health concerns are taken seriously at this facility. Both our staff and yours are expected to strictly adhere to the regulations and requirements specified herein. This is exceedingly important, since we must be primarily concerned for the safety of our patients. In this regard, OSHA Standards may protect worker safety and health, but they have minimal benefits for protecting the safety and health of our patients, due primarily to their differing medical conditions. Review this information as orientation with your personnel performing work on site. Where the requirements outlined in this section differ from any other contract drawing or specification, this section shall take precedence.

B. The Contracting Officer's Representative COR is responsible for the inspection of the work called for in the contract and specifications.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative will be Jacolby Darr. This COR can be reached at 423-926-1171, ext.7697. In the event the Contractor cannot reach the COR, he may contact the Chief, Engineering Service at

423-926-1171, ext. 7727. Inspections made by the COR are for the sole benefit of the Government and do not relieve the Contractor of any quality control responsibility.

C. The Safety Manager is responsible for safety inspections of all contract operations. The Safety Manager will be Shane Allen. The

Safety Manager can be reached at 423-926-1171, ext. 7334.

D. The Chief, Police Section is responsible for security at this facility.

The Police Chief will be Jeremy Paulins and can be reached at 423-923-

1171, ext. 7197.

2. MEDICAL CENTER ORIENTATION.

A. After contract award, a Pre-Construction Conference will be scheduled by the Contracting Officer. All issues of the contract and these requirements will be discussed.

B. Prior to mobilization the Contractor shall submit the following to the COR:

1) A detailed Site-Specific Safety Plan. (Actual Drawings depicting all ILSM issues, etc.)

2) Schedule a site survey with the COR, Construction safety specialist and infection control specialist with the purpose of discussing ICRA and Pre-demolition checklist.

3) Baseline Schedule – Reviewed and approved by VA COR.

4) Identify the Contractor's key personnel as required by the contract documents.

5) All contractors must attend Safety and Infection Control training in person at building 37 at the Mountain Home VA

Campus which is held on the second Tuesday of every month at 8:30 am est. All members attending shall bring 2 forms of ID (As identified on the I9 form) and OSHA 10 card for workers and OSHA 30 for competent personnel. Request for

Contractor Identification (I.D.) Badges, for all

Contractor/Sub-contractor employees.

3. STATEMENT OF WORK

A. SCOPE. This project consists of furnishing all supervision, labor, materials, equipment, and transportation. It also consists of performing all work in strict accordance with the applicable specifications and drawings that form the parts thereof.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

1) This contract shall contain an administrative period of performance of 90 days.

i. Develop and submit the submittal register within 15 days of NTP. The submittal register shall serve as the schedule of submissions to the VA.

ii. Contractor shall differentiate pre-construction and post-construction submittals on the submittal register

iii. The contractor shall submit all pre-construction submittals prior to mobilization.

iv. Identify and procure all long lead items.

v. All pre-construction submittals shall be reviewed and approved prior to mobilization.

2) The construction period of performance will be 275 days.

C. PRINCIPAL FEATURES. The principal features of this project are listed in the applicable specifications and drawings and in no way limit the responsibilities of the Contractor in performing all the work that is required to provide a complete job.

D. Bid Item I: GENERAL CONSTRUCTION -Furnish all supervision, labor, materials, equipment, and transportation which includes demolition, general construction, renovation, alterations, minor road / parking lot modifications, loading dock modifications, grading, drainage, mechanical and electrical work, utility systems, installation of Kitchen equipment, necessary removal of existing structures and construction and certain other items as shown on attached drawings and as specified herein.

E. LOCATION. James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Mountain Home

(Johnson City), Tennessee 37684.

F. DRAWINGS – GENERAL. The contract drawings indicate the extent and location of construction work. If any departure from the contract drawings are deemed necessary by the Contractor, the details of such departure and the reasons therefore shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for approval as soon as practical. No such departures shall be made without the proper written permission of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor is responsible for all information and requirements in drawings and specifications.

G. VERIFICATION OF DIMENSIONS. The Contractor shall visit the job site to thoroughly familiarize himself with all the details of the work and working conditions. The Contractor shall also verify all dimensions in the field and shall advise the

Contracting Officer of any discrepancy before performing any work. The Contractor shall be specifically responsible for the coordination and proper relation of his work to the building, structure, phasing, and insure the safety of employees and workmen.

H. DO NOT SCALE THE DRAWINGS. Drawing scales as indicated are for reference only and are not intended to accurately depict actual or designated condition. Written dimensions shall govern.

I. DEVIATIONS. In accordance with FAR 52.246-11, any deviations from the design criteria must be promptly reported to the COR. The contractor shall provide a detailed description of the deviation and proposed corrective actions within 24 hours of identification

J. TERMINOLOGY.

(1) Work area - An area in which construction work is conducted to complete a contract.

(2) When “furnish”, “provide”, “install”, or similar term is used in the contract, it shall mean a complete installation, ready for use.

(3) “Approved equal” or “equal” shall mean as approved by the

Contracting Officer only. The Contracting Officer shall be the sole judge as to whether or not a substitute item is equal and any item that the Contractor wants to substitute for any item specified shall be submitted to the Contracting

Officer for approval.

K. WORK HOURS. The Contractor shall perform all work during normal duty hours that are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through

Friday, with the exception of Federal holidays, unless otherwise specified or required by the phasing requirements of this contract. All after-hour work shall be coordinated with the COR.

L. The Contractor will be required to schedule some aspects of the work involving sub-contractors of the Electrical, Mechanical, HVAC trades, and some special painting and floor finish operations, after hours, meaning from 5:00 pm until 1:00 am, whether indicated on the contract documents by specific phasing or not. Some after-hours work such as systems affecting Hospital operations cannot start until after 7:30 pm in the evening. This is required to ensure hospital operations are not interrupted, potential effect to patients, employees, and visitors. The

Contractor shall be required to verify this before bidding.

M. Any work that disrupts patient care shall be rescheduled to occur after hours.

4. CLEARANCES, BADGES, PARKING PERMITS, AND KEYS.

A. SECURITY CLEARANCE. This Medical Center reserves the right to initiate certain Homeland Security clearance requirements for

Contractors, Subcontractors, and other outside vendors, as required. These requirements are subject to change without notice depending on the current threat level implemented by the

Government. The procedure to obtain security clearance may be dependent on the threat level and will be communicated to the

Contractor by the Contracting Officer and/or COR as necessary.

B. I.D. BADGES. All Contractor personnel who enter Medical Center property for this project shall obtain I.D. badges. Contractor personnel shall include employees, Subcontractors, Subcontractor employees, suppliers, and delivery personnel entering the Medical

Center. This does not apply to suppliers and delivery personnel making deliveries to the VA warehouse loading dock only.

Contractor personnel who enter the Medical Center on an intermittent, one day at a time basis shall obtain a Temporary

Contractor badge. All others shall obtain a photo I.D. badge.

Badges shall be worn above the belt at all times while on Medical

Center property.

(1) Temporary Contractor Badge. Temporary Contractor badges will be available at location as directed by the COR.

Contractors shall sign for Temporary Contractor badges.

Temporary Contractor badges shall be returned each day upon signing out. Temporary Contractor badges will not be issued to Contractors who have been issued a picture ID badge.

(2) Failure to comply with these requirements shall result in the immediate removal of Contractor personnel from this

Medical Center. Any such Contractor personnel removed for failure to comply will not be permitted re-entry to work on this project until approved by the Contracting Officer.

C. PARKING PERMITS / TRAFFIC REGULATIONS.

(1) The Contractor will be assigned a parking area during the pre-construction conference. All Contractor personnel shall use only this area for parking while on Medical Center property. The Contractor shall not park on grassy areas, unless approved by the COR, and the Contractor agrees to restore areas back to VA standards.

(2) All Contractor personnel who park vehicles on Medical Center property for this project shall obtain VA issued parking permits from the VA Police Service. This does not apply to suppliers and delivery personnel making deliveries to the VA warehouse loading dock only. At any time parking permits are required, the COR will provide instruction for obtaining a permit:

(3) Drivers should be particularly concerned with pedestrian traffic. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, roadways and parking lots.

(4) Posted speed limits and all other traffic controls are to be observed by operators at all times.

(5) Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the immediate removal of Contractor personnel from this Medical

Center. Any such Contractor personnel removed for failure to comply will not be permitted re-entry to work on this project until approved by the Contracting Officer.

D. KEYS.

The COR will Issue a limited number of Keys to the Project

Superintendent.

(1) The keys shall be returned at the end of final inspection and/or punch list completion, or final payment will be delayed. If the Contractor loses a key, all areas that are keyed to that key will be re-keyed by the VA at the

Contractor's expense.

(2) The Contractor shall ensure all doors leading to and from construction areas are either monitored or locked to prevent access to the areas from unauthorized persons.

5. SUPERVISION / SUPERINTENDENT / COMMUNICATIONS.

A. At all times during the performance of this contract, the

Contractor's Superintendent shall be available by cellular phone.

At the beginning of the contract, and prior to beginning any construction, the Contractor shall supply the COR with the telephone number for the Superintendent.

B. The superintendent shall be English speaking, and an English-speaking foreman shall be physically located on the construction site at all times work is being performed on site.

C. The foreman, superintendent and/or other Contractor designee will be the Contractor's Competent Person(s) as identified by OSHA.

The Contractor's Competent Person(s) shall meet OSHA training guidelines and shall be capable of making decisions and acting on behalf of the Contractor. A Contractor Competent Person shall be on the job site at all times work is being performed. If the

Contractor Competent Person is absent from the job site for an extended period of time, the VA Contracting Officer may send all

Contractor/Subcontractor employees off the job.

6. USE OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT.

A. Use of Government-owned material and equipment is prohibited.

7. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY.

A. The Government-furnished property, if any, listed in the contract will be used only for the performance of this contract unless otherwise authorized by the Contracting Officer.

B. The Contractor shall, at all times, take any and all steps necessary for maintenance and preservation of all Government-furnished property.

C. The Contractor shall comply with all reasonable requests of the

Contracting Officer to enclose, or specially protect, Government-furnished property.

8. CONTRACTOR'S TRAILERS.

A. Contractor's trailers shall be located at the area assigned. All utility connections to the trailer shall be installed at the

Contractor's expense. The Contractor shall remove any trailers upon completion of the contract, unless approved by the COR to leave in place.

9. ROAD CLOSURES.

A. For any work requiring closure of a road or parking lot, the

Contractor shall notify the COR at least fourteen (14) days in advance for approval.

B. The Contractor shall supply and install any road barricades, signage and personnel/flaggers necessary to support the road closure. The Contractor shall completely remove any road barricades and signage upon completion of work.

10. DELIVERY OF MATERIALS.

A. Deliveries of materials and equipment shall be made at times when the Contractor and/or the Subcontractor are available to accept.

The VA will not be responsible for accepting, receiving or storing Contractor's and/or Subcontractor's delivered materials.

11. STORAGE AREA / ACCESS ROADS / & DOCKS.

A. All storage shall be confined to those areas designated by the

COR.

B. Only established roadways or those authorized by the COR for construction, and only loading and unloading docks authorized by the COR, shall be utilized. No restricted roadway or dock shall be utilized except by special permission of the COR (See item 9).

Weight limits recommended by the vehicle manufacturers or prescribed by the COR shall be adhered to.

12. UTILITIES / OUTAGES.

A. The Contractor shall verify that all utilities outside of the construction area are not affected prior to disconnecting or shutting off any utilities. All shutdowns shall be requested, in writing, to the COR at least seven (7) days prior to shut down.

Major outages shall be coordinated on an individual basis.

Contractor shall provide notice as soon as outage is identified.

Va response times will vary based on the impact of the outage.

B. You shall notify the COR:

(1) Prior to lock out / tag out of any utility system.

(2) If a utility failure occurs.

(3) Prior to restoring a system.

13. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

A. The VA regards environmental protection requirements very seriously. Adherence to these requirements is subject to continuing scrutiny from the community, and backed by severe penalties, such as fines and incarceration. The Contractor shall fully comply with all federal, state and local environmental regulations. These environmental requirements will be strictly enforced.

B. No hazardous materials shall be disposed of on Government property. The Contractor shall ensure all waste is hauled off-site or disposed in Contractor owned and operated waste removal containers. The Contractor shall transport and dispose of hazardous wastes or materials in accordance with all related federal, state, and local regulations.

C. The Contractor shall forward a copy of all waste manifests for special or hazardous wastes to the COR. Environmental requirements will be strictly enforced.

14. SMOKING POLICY.

A. No Smoking Indoors or Outdoors: Smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or using any other tobacco products (including e-cigarettes and vaping devices) is prohibited inside VA facilities and on VA premises, including parking lots, walkways, and other outdoor areas.

15. CONTRACT WORKER'S SAFETY INFORMATION.

A. The fire alarm system connects all buildings at this facility, and is activated by various heat, duct, smoke sensors, pull stations, and sprinkler systems. Manual pull stations are provided at each entrance. Please survey the area in which you are working to locate the manual pull stations.

B. IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE ALARM SOUNDING, you are to remain in your area, unless medical center personnel (Safety, Nursing, or

Engineering) instruct otherwise, or unless a fire situation is in your area, in which case you should immediately evacuate.

C. IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE,REMEMBER RACE: Rescue persons in immediate danger, pull the fire Alarm and Contain the fire by closing any doors. If it is safe to do so, and you have been trained, try to Extinguish the fire with a portable fire extinguisher. If you do not hear the alarm sound, call extension

2911 to report the location. Know the location of the fire alarm and extinguisher in your work area.

D. INJURIES AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. Emergency medical services for stabilization purposes are available for Contractors at this facility. For medical emergencies, dial 2-911 when inside any building. Report the nature of the emergency and location.

The operator will dispatch in-house personnel or coordinate an outside emergency assistance based on the nature of the emergency.

E. HAZARDOUS WASTE. The VA Medical Center at Mountain Home indicates waste that is hazardous with different colored containers:

RED for infectious or biohazardous waste.

YELLOW for chemotherapy waste.

CLEAR for general waste.

Signs on containers also indicate whether the contents are biohazardous, radioactive, or cytotoxic.

The Contractor Shall Not Touch the Contents of Any of These Containers

16. PATIENT CARE AREAS.

A. The VA Medical Center at Mountain Home is a full service medical center with inpatients, outpatients, and staff who can be affected by what you do while working here. Many of these patients may have health problems that make them more susceptible to materials used or generated in your work.

B. Before entering a patient care room, the Contractor shall receive permission and instructions from the nurse in charge. The

Contractor shall respect the privacy of all patients. Remember, the patients at the Medical Center at Mountain Home are veterans who have served to protect our country.

C. In order to track potential infection control risks during construction, an "Open Ceiling Permit" is required when removing ceiling tiles. Contact the COR for the current version of the permit.

D. The Contractor shall keep tools, ladders, etc. away from patients to prevent injuries.

E. Before departing the construction site, the Contractor shall secure incomplete work (i.e., cover exposed wiring in electrical outlets) in any area to which patients visitors, and/or non-construction-related employees are not access prohibited.

17. GENERAL CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY.

A. The Contractor shall maintain safety in the construction site / area in accordance with the provisions of the contract, to include, but not be limited to:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Regulations;

• National Electric Codes;

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70; and,

• NFPA 101, Life Safety Code.

B. The Contractor shall work in a safe manner and shall take all proper precautions while performing work. Extra precautions shall be taken by the Contractor when working around persons occupying the building during construction.

C. The Contractor shall follow all federal, state, and local safety and health regulations.

D. The Contractor shall provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for their employees. Contractor employees shall wear the provided PPE, as appropriate.

E. The Contractor shall post appropriate signs in specific hazardous areas.

F. The Contractor shall keep all construction areas secure, especially mechanical and electrical rooms, against entry of unauthorized individuals including patients.

G. The Contractor shall not put trash or other building materials to be discarded in VA dumpsters. The Contractor shall furnish their own waste receptacle or dumpster and remove trash daily from the

Medical Center grounds.

H. The Contractor shall not ask to borrow or use any Government-owned tools, machines, or equipment.

18. ACCIDENT PREVENTION.

A. The Contractor shall comply with the requirements for Accident

Prevention as described in specification section 01 35 26 section 1.5 Accident prevention plan.

B. The Contractor shall increase hazard surveillance of buildings, grounds, and equipment affected by construction, with special attention to excavations, construction areas, construction storage, and field offices.

C. The Contractor shall limit access to construction sites by personnel, patients and visitors not involved with construction activities. Where total isolation of construction activities is not feasible, The Contractor shall limit access by supplying and using freestanding barricades or other appropriate means. The

Contractor shall also supply and use appropriate signage to warn and redirect people away from the construction area and associated hazards.

19. ACCESS TO CONSTRUCTION AREAS.

A. The Contractor shall ensure the construction site has free and unobstructed exits. The Contractor shall maintain escape routes for construction workers at all times.

B. The Contractor shall ensure free and unobstructed access is available to emergency services and for fire, police and other emergency forces. The Contractor shall not obstruct any doorway, hallway, or exit without notifying the COR and/or the Safety

Unit, to determine if ILSM modifications are required.

C. The construction areas shall be inspected by the Contractor daily and documented by the Contractor on both the Daily Log, and on the Fire Safety Log. The contractor shall include photographic documentation of the site conditions daily and include them on the daily log. The Contractor shall provide the completed Daily

Log to the COR by e-mail before the close of the next working day. The Contractor shall provide the completed Fire Safety Log to the COR upon request but no later than the first working day of each month. In addition, the construction site may be inspected by the Government at any time.

20. INTERIM LIFE SAFETY MEASURES (ILSM). ILSMs are a series of operational actions taken to temporarily reduce the hazards posed by existing life safety deficiencies or construction. ILSMs consist of the following actions:

A. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR and/or the Safety

Technician (Fire Inspector, extension 3543); to ensure fire protection systems are in good working order in the construction area.

B. Any work involving the fire protection systems including fire alarm and sprinkler systems shall require written permission to proceed from the COR. Do not tamper with or otherwise disturb any fire alarm and sprinkler system components without prior written permission. To do so without written permission will result in an adverse action by the VA. The Contractor shall obtain written permission by submitting a Request to Disarm Fire

Alarm / Sprinkler System to the COR 24 hours prior to commencing work on any fire protection system.

C. A temporary, but equivalent, system shall be provided by the

Contractor when any fire protection system is impaired due to construction.

D. The Contractor shall inspect and test temporary systems monthly.

E. The Contractor shall train personnel when structural or compartment features of fire safety are compromised.

21. FIRE PREVENTION.

A. The Contractor shall ensure that temporary construction partitions are smoke tight and are of non-combustible material so they will not contribute to the development or spread of fire.

B. The Contractor shall ensure all Contractor construction personnel are trained in fire protection.

C. The Contractor shall develop and enforce storage, housekeeping, and debris removal policies and procedures that reduce the flammable and combustible fire load to the lowest level necessary for daily operations.

D. The Contractor shall provide fire stopping for all penetrations in any wall, especially in vertical and horizontal fire/smoke partitions. If penetrations of smoke and fire barriers are to be made as part of this project, a "Penetration Permit" must be requested and obtained from the COR responsible for the work.

Once the penetration of the smoke or fire barrier has been made and properly sealed with fire stopping material, and the COR has verified same, the completed permit must be returned to the issuing party and the completed permit forwarded to the Safety

Unit for verification. Copies of completed "Penetration Permits" will be maintained by the Safety Unit.

22. FIRE WATCH.

A. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing any required fire watches when the construction impairs an existing fire protection system for more than 4 hours in a 24-hour period. A fire watch shall at least involve some special action beyond normal staffing, such as assigning additional personnel to walk the affected areas.

B. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR to obtain a radio with direct contact to VA Police for use during a fire watch.

The Contractor shall also provide a telephone for the fire watch.

The COR will provide the Contractor with emergency numbers to be used.

C. The Contractor shall provide adequate portable fire extinguishers and the necessary training for individuals assigned to fire watch duties.

D. Fire watch surveillance conducted by the Contractor shall be documented on the Fire Safety Log.

23. INFECTION CONTROL ORIENTATION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

A. The goal of the Infection Control Program is to identify and reduce the risks of acquiring and transmitting infections among patients, employees, physicians and other licensed independent practitioners, contract service workers, volunteers, students and visitors.

B. All contractors must attend Safety and Infection Control training per Section 2, Paragraph B.5.

C. MEDICAL WASTE

(1) We will remove any medical waste, including sharps containers (for used needles and syringes), from construction areas prior to the start of projects.

(2) If the Contractor finds any needles, syringes or sharp medical objects, the Contractor shall notify the COR and

Infection Control staff at 423-926-1171 x7542 or 7530, or hospital pager *4-218 or *4-785 immediately.

D. BARRIER WALLS:

(1) The Contractor shall ensure construction areas are kept separate from patient care areas by barriers that keep the dust and dirt inside the worksite. The barrier walls shall provide a complete seal of the construction area from adjacent areas. Contractor Shall confirm barrier wall type in accordance with ICRA requirements prior to submitting their bit.

E. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL:

(1) The Contractor shall maintain negative air pressure within the construction area, such that air shall be drawn into the construction area, and dust and fungal spores shall not be disseminated toward patient care areas. This may require fans or other negative pressure producing equipment.

(2) The Contractor shall remove demolition debris in tightly fitted covered carts. The Contractor shall use specified traffic patterns, approved by the COR, for debris removal.

(3) The Contractor shall place sticky or walk-off mats immediately outside the construction zone. The Contractor shall change the mats whenever necessary to control the spread of dust and dirt.

(4) The Contractor shall use exterior window seals to reduce the amount of outside excavation debris coming into the building.

(5) If demolition chutes are used, the Contractor shall seal them when not in use. The Contractor shall spray the chute and damper with water, as necessary, to maintain dust control.

(6) The Contractor shall provide for control, collection and disposal of any drain liquid or sludge found when demolishing plumbing.

(7) The contractor shall maintain/ clean all corridors outside of the construction site from any debris, trash or tracks created by construction activities

F. TRAFFIC CONTROL:

(1) The Contractor shall use only entry and exit procedures designated by the COR.

(2) The Contractor shall keep all egress pathways free of debris.

(3) The Contractor shall not allow unauthorized personnel to enter construction areas.

(4) The Contractor shall use only elevators designated by the

COR.

G. CLEANING:

(1) The Contractor shall keep the construction area clean on a daily basis.

(2) The Contractor shall keep dust and dirt to a minimum.

(3) The Contractor shall be responsible for replacing any damaged property due to the contractors' activities at the contractors' expense.

H. WORKERS:

(1) Contractor clothing shall be free of loose soil and debris when exiting the construction area.

(2) The Contractor shall use Contractor-provided personal protective equipment (masks, face shields, etc.) as indicated for the task at hand.

(3) All liquids containers shall be labeled appropriately with the contents of the container. All potable liquids shall be clearly labeled in sealed containers.

Questions? Please feel free to call the Infection Control, 423-926-1171 x 7542.

24. AIRBORNE DUST CONTROL DURING CONSTRUCTION.

A. Generation of dust is a major concern within staff, and especially patient, occupied buildings. Where operations involve the generation of dust; the Contractor shall direct all efforts at reducing airborne generated dust to the lowest level feasible.

This may be accomplished by a number of methods. These include misting the area with water or use of tools attached to high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering vacuums. Where large amounts of materials may be disturbed, resulting in airborne dust, The Contractor shall establish full ceiling-to-floor plastic barriers as required.

25. TRENCHING/EXCAVATIONS.

A. All Trenching and Excavation operations shall comply with all applicable requirements of OSHA, 29 CFR 1926, Subpart P, for

Excavating and Trenching, (including related appendices),

1926.800 Underground Construction, and 1926.956, Underground

Lines.

26. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

A. Your operations may involve the use of hazardous materials.

Prior to locating hazardous materials on site, the Contractor shall submit all Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS) through the

COR for evaluation by the facility Safety Unit.

B. The Contractor shall store a minimal amount of hazardous materials within buildings with only enough on hand to perform daily tasks. The Contractor shall either remove flammable materials from buildings at the end of the work shift or store them in approved flammable storage containers. The Contractor shall ensure hazardous materials are maintained in appropriate labeled containers at all times.

C. The Contractor shall ensure there is adequate ventilation to remove vapors of hazardous materials in use. Many of the patients being cared for in the facility are susceptible to environmental contaminants, even when odors seem minimal. The

Contractor shall isolate those areas where vapors are produced and shall ventilate to the most extent possible to reduce the number of complaints. The Contractor shall ensure that HVAC fresh air intakes will not draw in ventilated vapors. The

Contractor shall also ensure the area to which vapors are ventilated is not in an area that patient, employees, and visitors must use to enter or exit a building.

27. HAZARDOUS SPILLS.

• Contain spill if possible.

• Secure area.

• Locate MSDS.

• Notify the COR and/or the Safety Unit at extension 7727.

28. LEAD BASED PAINT (LBP).

A. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer promptly, and before such conditions are disturbed, when Lead Based Paint (LBP) is suspected. A laboratory analysis of suspected material will be completed at the direction of the Contracting Officer at

Government expense. If the test proves to be positive, the VA may issue a separate contract to remove, abate, or otherwise render the hazard safe or the Contractor may be required to remove, abate or otherwise render the hazard safe. The Contractor will then submit a cost proposal to the Contracting Officer based on the findings.

29. CONTACT WITH ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS (ACM).

A. Contractor shall notify all personnel working on the job site of any ACM hazards on this job.

B. Due to the age of buildings, many contain asbestos containing materials (ACM). Primary ACM uses in the medical center include floor tile, mastic, piping, and HVAC insulation. Some areas may contain damaged asbestos and should not be accessed without prior abatement. The Contractor shall consult with the COR to determine the potential for contact with ACM during this contract. In certain buildings, the Contractor shall assume that any sprayed-on fireproofing and thermal insulation contains asbestos. In certain buildings, all interstitial spaces are considered asbestos hazard areas. If there is potential for ACM contact, the Contractor shall have the required specific certification, training and personal protective equipment outlined in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) regulations.

C. Where disturbance of asbestos is likely, it has been addressed in the contract for removal. If unexpected contact with the presence of asbestos is possible, stop all work in the immediate area and immediately contact the COR and/or the Safety Unit at extension 7727 to make necessary arrangements for removal.

D. Prior to performing work above any ceiling or starting in a new area, the Contractor shall consult with the COR concerning existing conditions of ACM.

E. ACM may be identified and labeled. If an area labeled as to contain ACM material, or suspected to contain ACM, is encountered, all work shall cease immediately, and the Contractor shall notify the COR immediately.

F. Ceiling tiles provide the barrier between the asbestos in the interstitial and the occupied areas below. Interior walls provide a similar barrier to asbestos fireproofing on vertical columns. If there is potential for ACM contact, the Contractor shall:

(1) Not move or displaced ceiling tiles without proper containment and personal protective equipment.

(2) Not make wall penetrations without proper containment and personal protective equipment.

(3) Immediately report all disturbances of asbestos-containing materials to your supervisor and the COR.

G. The most common type of ACM insulation the Contractor may encounter includes thermal system insulation (TSI) and floor tile.

(1) ACM TSI is generally covered with cloth wrap or lagging, and the asbestos substrate generally appears white in color. The

Contractor shall not sand, drill, gouge, or otherwise disturb this type of insulation. Contractors disturbing or releasing asbestos containing materials shall be liable for all damages and cleanup.

(2) In some areas, asbestos insulation has been identified on elbows, between fiberglass insulation, as patching materials among the fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass insulation used in this facility is usually yellow or pink in color, wrapped either by cloth or paper lagging.

30. LOCK-OUT / TAG-OUT ENERGY CONTROL PROCEDURES

A. The Contractor shall request a copy of the latest procedures pertaining to this Medical Center on Control of Hazardous Energy

(Lock-Out / Tag-Out) from the COR if work on energized circuits is required by this contract. The Contractor shall follow the procedures provided by the COR.

B. The Contractor shall also comply with OSHA 1910.147, Lock-out /

Tag-out standard.

31. ENERGIZED WORK PERMITS

A. The contractor shall not perform any work on energized circuits without a signed permit from the VA medical center. Contact your

COR and the construction safety specialist before commencing any energized work.

B. Energized work is defined as work in a panel beyond the plane of the front face of the panel.

32. PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED SPACES

A. There are numerous permit required confined spaces on this facility. These include:

• Any above or underground fuel storage tank

• Manholes (All 5 feet or deeper)

• Sewage lift stations

• Air ducts/Air handling units

• Water storage tanks

• Crawl spaces

• Any space on this facility meeting the definition of a permit-required confined space as outlined in OSHA Standard 29 CFR

1910.146

B. Contractors performing work on this facility shall follow all requirements outlined in OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-

Required Confined Spaces

C. Prior to entering a permit-required confined space the Contractor shall:

(1)Submit a written Confined Space Policy, fully compliant with

OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-Required Confined Spaces to the COR. This policy shall include, but not limited to:

i. Permitting

ii. Air Monitoring

iii. Entrant, Entry Supervisor, & Attendant training

iv. Ventilation

v. Entrant retrieval and rescue capabilities

(2) Complete, and submit to the COR, a Confined Space Entry

Permit.

(3) Await permit approval before commencing confined space operations.

33. FLUORESCENT (PCB AND/OR MERCURY CONTAINING) FIXTURES

A. The Contractor shall dispose of all fluorescent lighting fixtures removed as part of this project in accordance with Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) regulations.

34. SAFETY / INTERMEDIATE INSPECTIONS

A. The professional Occupational Safety and Health staff (i.e., members of the Construction Safety Committee) at this facility will perform safety inspections of all contract operations.

Written reports of unsafe practice conditions will be reported to the COR, and Contracting Officer, for immediate attention and resolution.

B. The COR will perform other intermediate inspections, as needed by the project scope, or as requested by the Contractor.

C. The COR may require additional safety procedures from the

Contractor in the following areas, as applicable to the contract:

• PPE / Respiratory Protection

• Fall Protection

• Lead/Silica

• Confined Space Entry

• Excavation and Trenching

• Scaffolds and Aerial Lifts

• Stairways and Ladders

• Cranes / Heavy Equipment

• Electrical

• Energy Isolation (Lock Out / Tag Out)

• Hand and Power Tools

• Steel Erection

• Material Handling and Rigging

• Welding and Cutting

Updated: January 28,2025

Reviewed: