Height restriction challenge is met with a specially designed shielding solution

Envirotect, in association with John Caunt Scientific, has installed 200mm thickness boron polyethylene to the ceiling area of a radiotherapy room at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Shielding was required to allow the safe use of a Varian Medical Systems linear accelerator.

The installation was particularly challenging due to the height restriction in the room.  Envirotect’s Nigel Payne developed a unique method of securing the shielding material close to the soffit to leave the required head room for the services and ceiling finish.  The construction technique allowed for sufficient structural support to ensure that the services and ceiling finish could be suspended below the shielding.  

The hospital needed to remain fully functional and close liaison between Envirotect’s site manager and clinical staff was vital to ensure minimum disruption.

Managing director Niven Smith said: “The installation was a credit to all involved as the logistics of delivering, unloading and distributing 8 tonnes of shielding material outside normal working hours had to be planned carefully so as not to impact on day-to-day operation of the hospital.”

Envirotect also supplies bespoke shielded doors that can be manufactured to suit any size of opening and designed specifically to customer requirements.

Editorial printed in the May issue of Rad Magazine.