Celebrating New Beginnings: Opening Doors in State College, PA

State College, PA—Warfel Construction is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new office in State College, PA. On September 26th, 2024, the Warfel team and local community members gathered for a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new office.

The new facility is a testament to Warfel Construction’s ongoing expansion strategy and dedication to positively impacting their communities. The State College office will enhance support for the area’s local team and project operations.

President of Warfel Construction, Conlan Swope, expressed enthusiasm about the new office, stating, “We are thrilled to open our doors in State College. This milestone represents a significant step in our ongoing growth. This expansion will allow us to further support our Client for Life relationships and while deepening our community ties.”

Warfel’s mission, Clients for Life, guides all relationships and partnerships. This mission ensures the company remains committed to building lasting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the communities they serve. The new office in State College will operate under this guiding principle, fostering collaboration and trust in every project undertaken.

Warfel looks forward to providing construction management services across the State College community in key sectors including Commercial, Education, Healthcare, and Senior Living Construction.

 

About Warfel Construction Company

Established in 1911, Warfel Construction Company provides general construction and construction management services to clients throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and surrounding states. Visit Warfel online at warfelcc.com.

 

Keys to Success in the Healthcare Construction Industry

A Client for Life recently asked us what advice we would give those interested in entering a career in healthcare construction. Knowledge and experience gained in framing and carpentry, concrete and excavation, steel erection, mechanical and electrical systems installation, project management and delivery, pre-con, estimating, etc., will directly apply to healthcare construction. The skills learned over time shape the growth of the construction professional, regardless of the type of project. There are a few things, however, that are unique to healthcare that our expert builders and project managers must apply to their experience and knowledge base when building healthcare projects.

 

 

Patient Safety and the Immuno-comprised

Nothing is more critical than protecting and providing for the safety and welfare of the public. Whether in an acute care setting inside a hospital, a medical office building, or an ambulatory surgery, imaging, or infusion and treatment facility, we work daily beside an immuno-compromised population.

It is essential to understand that the very nature of treatment for many patients fighting cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), and auto-immune diseases renders their immune systems ineffective at fighting nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections from simple exogenous threats such as dormant mold spores resting on the top of ceiling tiles, airborne bacteria or surfaces laden with potential organic contaminants that would otherwise be harmless to healthy individuals. Premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) fight for their lives while struggling to breathe room air that must be filtered and free from airborne contaminants stirred and scattered by nearby construction activity. Construction professionals working in the healthcare environment should remember that the second most significant health risk to patients undergoing surgery is fighting a new infection they acquired while in the operating room.

An effective patient safety plan for successful healthcare projects begins with the education and awareness of each person on the job, regardless of their role or experience level.

 

 

Effective Communication and Self-Awareness

Construction professionals working in the healthcare construction arena will frequently find themselves in contact with various people on active healthcare job sites who may not be present on other projects. Some of these include full-time project management representatives employed by our Clients for Life, third-party owners’ construction representatives, life safety inspectors from the State Department of Health, reviewers from the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospitals, medical imaging equipment vendors and installers, and, on occasion, hospital executives on a periodic walkthrough to observe construction progress.

Entry-level employees, such as field engineers and project engineers with just a few years of experience, will participate in frequent client interaction during healthcare construction projects. Healthcare renovation projects require effective constant communication with the clinical professionals affected by the scope of work, such as a lead clinical physician or nurse practitioner, nurse manager, patient floor unit clerk, environmental services manager, hospital patients, and their families.

Effective communication with these healthcare and facility services professionals requires self-awareness, empathy, maturity, and a thorough understanding of the program, use, and patient care scenarios surrounding the renovation project area.

Regardless of the role performed by our construction professionals and expert builders, we must consider how our words, actions, and the choices we make while on the job will affect and be interpreted by those around us in this sensitive environment.

When construction professionals maintain a safe and clean job site, focus on patient safety and awareness, and communicate effectively, they build strong relationships, mutual respect, loyalty, and environments for effective clinical care that improve the quality of life for patients and their families for generations to come.

 

 

Robert J. Allen, PE, CHC

Director of Healthcare Construction

Goodyear Earns CHC Designation

East Petersburg, PA – Warfel Construction Company is pleased to announce that Kyle Goodyear has earned his Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) designation. The CHC certification program, through the American Hospital Association and in conjunction with the American Society of Healthcare Engineers (ASHE), provides a national standard of knowledge required for CHC professionals. This assists employers, the public, and members of health professions in assessing healthcare contractors.

To achieve the CHC designation, an individual must pass a comprehensive exam that tests healthcare construction terminology, code requirements, and general knowledge. It demonstrates an individual’s knowledge and commitment to healthcare.

“At Warfel, we understand the risks associated with healthcare construction and are committed to patient safety and continued learning with our clients,” said Vice President Brett Calabretta. “Kyle’s CHC credentials highlight the expertise needed to continue to effectively serve the facility needs of the healthcare industry.”

A graduate of Penn State University, Goodyear joined Warfel in 2010. He currently serves as a Preconstruction Manager and is involved in several ongoing projects, including White Horse Village, Homestead Village, and Frederick Living. Goodyear lives in York, PA with his wife Kelley and daughters Rory and Molly.