VA hires the best A/E firms in the country and yet we experience repeated
errors and omissions on every project. These are not new or unusual
items, but they consistently get past A/E and VA quality assurance reviews
and result in construction change orders. Please review your project
documents and make sure you do not make these mistakes.
Plumbing, Contract Document Phase :
o Coordinate wall thickness with plumbing hub sizes as risers pass through lower floors
and for plumbing fixture carriers;
o Ensure necessary medical and laboratory gas outlets and related piping are provided,
problems have occurred for anesthesia evacuation systems, fume hoods, and special
procedures rooms;
o Provide water, and waste connections for electric water coolers;
o Check that all plumbing fixtures indicated on the drawings are described in the
specifications;
o Provide water and drainage connections for fixed and other equipment such as
laboratory controlled temperature rooms and washer sterilizers;
o Provide water connections to steam guns, garbage can washers, emergency eye
wash/showers, courtyard irrigation systems, and leased water treatment systems;
o Comply with all requirements of NFPA 99 in the design of medical and laboratory gas
systems; the following items have repeatedly been missed; carbon monoxide monitors,
venting of manifold of gases, low pressure emergency oxygen outlets in radiology, and
lag mode alarms for compressors; and
o Provide silver recovery and acid recovery systems when required.
AEQA 10-95
Facilities Management Office
Department of Veterans Affairs
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