Good Chemistry

A large autoclave designed for heat treatment and sterilisation was due for installation in place of an existing autoclave on the ground floor of a large pharmaceutical company. On paper a manageable task. However, the sheer size of the new hardware meant that Artelia were forced downstairs, to support and secure the floor decks from below.

“We began by carving out the existing floor and then casting a new foundation as well as load-bearing walls in the basement below the autoclave. This was necessary, since a large autoclave like this one causes quite a lot of tremors when it is in operation,” explains Artelia’s project manager, Morten G. Hansen.

The process of reconstruction and renewal of equipment spanned over four weeks of Summer shutdown. However, preparations for the shutdown activities began at least three months in advance. The reason: thorough planning and careful EHS reviews are a necessity for all tasks involving potentially dangerous chemicals.

“Some medicinal products produced here are not pleasant on the skin or may damage soft spots like the cornea. This is why we emphasise safety protocol in a process such as this. We constantly clean and rinse all work areas and manage each task separately so that no unintentional contamination can occur,” says Morten G. Hansen.

It can be hard to distinguish plaster dust from powder chemicals. For this reason, Artelia’s instructions were clear-cut in coordination and training of the contractors responsible for demolition prior to the reconstruction.