Hitachi’s COVID-19 Warriors
The new National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) at Outram will house Hitachi’s first proton therapy system 1 in Southeast Asia. Installation work began in 2019, and progress was underway when the COVID-19 outbreak struck unexpectedly. By April 2020, the Singapore Government issued orders to suspend all construction work island wide. The building was mid-way through construction, and while the proton therapy system was significantly completed, the engineering systems supporting Hitachi’s installation were temporary. It was decided that an on-site maintenance team would be needed to inspect, pre-empt and mitigate risks to equipment arising from partially completed works, or intervention in the event of any failure to the building systems.
The Hitachi team immediately applied to the Ministry of Trade Industry (MTI) and were granted an “Exemption for Essential Services” to perform project site daily inspection and maintenance work during the Circuit Breaker 2 period. Team members at the work site were required to diligently perform equipment maintenance and equipment facility condition such as maintenance application of anti-rust lubricants over exposed metal surfaces, monitoring of the facility conditions (temperature, humidity and drainage) as well as install protective covers over the installed equipment.
Even as they worked relentlessly to perform the preventive maintenance, work was made even more challenging by stringent COVID-19 safety regulations. Adhering to the strict segregation and social distancing policies, it took significantly more time to perform specific maintenance due to the limited manpower permitted at the worksite. The mandatory face mask requirements also made work challenging. Most workers were not used to wearing masks for a prolonged period, making physical tasks harder to carry out. Communication was also a challenge, as speech was muffled, making it hard to have discussions and convey or hear instructions.
“During the Circuit Breaker period, we were the leading key working personnel at the Hitachi project site. The project is very important and crucial to us at Hitachi because it demonstrates our Pioneering Spirit as it will be the first such system in Southeast Asia. We were also motivated to strive our utmost best for the cancer patients who will benefit from our work, and that inspired us to push through this difficult time with bravery, courage, commitment and selflessness,” said Mr. Naoto Kugenuma, Hitachi’s Project Site Manager.
Against all odds, the project team overcame the site and equipment challenges by utilizing and adopting their skills sets and experiences in their work. It was the team’s unwavering passion that gave them confidence to overcome the difficulties and challenges, explained Mr. Gabriel Pang, Hitachi’s Deputy Site Manager. “Working in a semi-completed, humid environment were challenging, coupled with COVID-19 safety regulations that made our work even more difficult. But we overcame the difficulties with the mindset of making a difference, adapting to changes and a Pioneering Spirit, aside from our commitment and responsibility undertakings for our customers and stakeholders. We are proud to showcase our Hitachi values at a difficult juncture and in such challenging conditions!”
With the gradual phasing out of the Circuit Breaker, the team hopes to complete the installation phase and first commissioning by the stipulated date. We wish our COVID-19 warriors all the best for their project in the face of adversity!
1 In 2016, Hitachi won a major contract to install a proton beam therapy (PBT) system at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). PBT technology allows very precise targeting of tumour and minimizes damage to healthy tissue compared to current radiation therapy.
2 The Circuit Breaker was a stay-at-home order and work restriction order, implemented as a preventive measure by the Singapore Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Left: Naoto Kugenuma, Project Site Manager Right: Gabriel Pang, Deputy Site Manager
