HMP Prison Roll Out Scheme
Project location: United Kingdom
Project Background Brief:
The project works are part of a nationwide infrastructure investment by the HM Prison and Probation Service. This particular element of works is to ensure that each Prison is free from the risk of legionella by disinfecting the water supply. Each site would have a dosing unit installed in a purpose-built structure in a remote location within the Prison grounds. These Project works comprised of installing the full M&E requirements of the dosing unit, additional power supplies with RCD protection for maintenance work, lighting, and a localised electric panel heater to combat adverse temperatures.
Particular Challenges:
Working inside a Prison comes with a particular set of restrictions. Each member of the Powerplus Group installation team had to be vetted by HM Prison and Probation Service. A background check is also carried out to ensure that each member of the team has no connection with any inmate or Prison staff. As a matter of course, every member of Powerplus Group has an enhanced DBS check – even our office staff, so some of these checks were straight forward.
Entering a Prison is also rigorously controlled – ‘sterile’ company vehicles, tool and material checklists, personal ID, and packed lunches are all part of the day-to-day controls. Our installation team were accompanied by a Prison Officer at all times to ensure our protection within this high security Category B Prison.
Due to the location, power and mains water was installed in underground ducting from the dosing unit to the main Prison complex, where it would be installed in vandal-proof surface conduit to high level where it enters the roof void to connect to a local distribution board.
During the course of the works, the use of a ‘cherry picker’ MEWP to install the surface conduit to the exterior of a Prison wing meant that additional security checks and controls had to be adhered to, as we would be working in close proximity to the cell windows.
Special Project Features:
These Project works involved a combination of works both in a remote location and also within close proximity to Prison inmates. The stringent security measures took time to organise and coordinate each day, resulting in time management of the Project works being dictated by the security of the Prison and the protection of our installation team.
