In response to the rapidly escalating COVID-19 situation, IHEEM has established a COVID-19 Technical Panel. Led by IHEEMs CEO Pete Sellars with support and co-ordination from Bill Millar, Technical Platform Committee Chair, it is drawing on expertise from across the Institute’s broad range of Technical Platform disciplines:
- Brian Kirk – Decontamination
- Andrew Poplett – Ventilation
- Mark Richards – Electrical
- Ian Sandford – Medical Gases
- Geoff Dillow – Medical Gases
- Mervyn Phipps – Water
- Paul Mercer – Spatial Planning & Design
- Maz Daoud – Fire
Since its inception, it has already responded to a number of requests for technical input from the UK Government as well as other engineering bodies such as the Royal Association of Engineers covering a wide range of engineering challenges that are being tackled in light of COVID-19.
It is also providing engineering support to the World Health Organisation through its international links to IFHE and IFHE-EU and this is being co-ordinated by Andy Wavell and David Whitely.
The Panel is also well placed to provide engineering support and resilience to the national policy and guidance functions and an offer of support has been made to estates and facilities team at NHS England and NHS Improvement.