Background & Objectives

The client, a local hospital facility, required an urgent upgrade to their ventilation infrastructure across two buildings. Existing systems had reached capacity or were nearing end of life, risking poor air circulation, increased energy consumption, and failing to meet evolving regulatory and health & safety standards.

The objective was to replace (or supplement) critical ventilation units with new high-capacity fans, ensuring compliance with air quality guidelines for medical environments, maintaining uninterrupted operation of the facility, and minimising disruption to hospital services.

”“MSB Group delivered a highly complex ventilation upgrade with impeccable planning and execution. Their coordination with our facility teams, attention to safety, and commitment to minimising disruption were exemplary. We are pleased to have this critical infrastructure in place and look forward to working with them on future projects.”

Ryan Hind, Mechanical OfficerNHS Property Services

Challenges & Constraints

  • Restricted rooftop access: The buildings’ roof designs and adjacent structures prevented direct crane lift or straightforward ladder access.
  • Structural and spatial constraints: Roof parapets, plant walkways, structural framing, and penetrations meant limited workable zones for installation.
  • Health & safety and continuity requirements: As an active healthcare facility, all works had to meet stringent safety standards, coordinate with hospital operations, and avoid periods of disruption to critical services.
  • Coordination of lifting logistics: Placement of fans and associated ductwork meant precise crane lifts, with tight tolerances for positioning.
  • Weather and environmental factors: Rooftop work is vulnerable to wind, rain, and site-specific conditions, which needed robust planning and contingency.
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MSB Group’s Approach & Solution

  1. Site Survey & Planning

    • Conducted a detailed structural and access survey to map existing roofline obstacles, roof load capacities, and clearances.
    • Produced 3D lift studies to assess safe lift paths, collision risks, and crane placement zones.
    • Coordinated with hospital stakeholders to schedule install windows during lower-activity periods (e.g. overnight or weekends).

  2. Custom Scaffold & Access Works

    • Designed and erected bespoke scaffold access to provide safe working platforms close to the roof edges, including guardrails, toe boards, and safe material handling routes.
    • Installed temporary edge protection and gangways to minimise risk when transferring equipment to the rooftop.

  3. Crane & Lifting Operations

    • Engaged Cornwall Crane Hire for precision lifts, using a mobile crane with the reach and capacity to navigate site constraints.
    • Utilised certified lifting gear, spreader beams, tag lines, and real-time guidance to position the fans into place without damage.
    • Continuous communication between crane operator, rigging team, and MSB site engineers ensured each lift met safety protocols and alignment tolerances.

  1. Mechanical & Electrical Integration

    1. Installed fan mounting frames, base plates, vibration isolators, and structural connections per engineering requirements.
    2. Integrated the fans with ductwork, control panels, power cabling, and any associated sensor or automation interfaces.
    3. Carried out dynamic balancing, airflow testing, commissioning, and performance validation to ensure the fans met design airflow and pressure criteria.

  2. Handover & Validation

    • Final commissioning across both units, with testing under full operational load conditions.
    • Delivered documentation, including as-installed drawings, testing certificates, and maintenance recommendations to the facility’s engineering team.
    • Verified that the installation met all relevant NHS, building-services, and health & safety standards.

Results & Benefits

  • Improved ventilation performance: The new fans provide increased airflow capacity and better environmental control, supporting patient and staff comfort, infection control, and building air quality.
  • Energy and maintenance gains: Modern, efficient fan units reduce operational energy consumption and are easier to maintain or replace in the future.
  • Minimal disruption: By coordinating works around hospital operations and using scaffold and lift planning, downtime and risk to hospital services were kept to a minimum.
  • Safe delivery: Through robust planning, certified rigging, and professional execution, the project was delivered incident-free and to schedule.
  • Client confidence: The hospital facility now has a modern ventilation backbone for critical buildings, backed with MSB’s documentation and support.