Hospital complies with the standards thanks to the uncomplicated retrofitting of the DICTATOR interlock control system

In the MCL Hospital Harlingen the complete operating suite on the second floor was retrofitted with interlock control systems

Hospital-acquired infections are becoming a highly important subject. The Medisch Centrum Leeuwarden-MCL Harlingen, in the north of the Netherlands therefore retrofitted the complete surgical unit on the second floor with two operating rooms and corresponding changing rooms and preparatory rooms, with a DICTATOR interlock control system. This ensures that doors to certain areas can only be opened in a certain order and whenever some other doors are closed – defined by the hospital’s operator or the regulations. This prevents the spread of germs. The great advantage of the DICTATOR system: it doesn’t require a central with complicated programming. Instead, simple dip switches make programming very easy here.

In this example the customer opted for a peripheral system, because it offers even more flexibility than the central one, requires less wiring and is also more clearly distributed. All elements of the interlock control system (except for the locking devices) are connected by pluggable cables, which makes installation very simple. The distribution boxes were installed out of sight, above the suspended ceilings.

The existing doors are locked by retrofitted bar magnets. The particular operating terminals were chosen according to the requirements of the respective rooms. In the operating rooms they chose a flush installation for the terminals. They are connected with the existing foot-operated switches in the operating room, so that the opening request can be done either by a piezo-type key on the operating terminals or the foot-operated switch in the operating room.

In total, five interlock control systems were installed in the surgical unit. Planning, installation and commissioning took place in close cooperation with DICTATOR Productie in Emmeloord.

The very modern Medisch Centrum Leeuwarden (MCL) Hospital in Harlingen, Friesland (Netherlands)

Interlock operating terminals between the two operating room doors. A door can only be opened if all other doors of the interlock system are closed.

The distribution boxes (here without cover) are located above the suspended ceiling. All connection cables are simply plugged in.

Terminal for surface mounting with emergency-open switch

The sliding door is locked by an easily retrofitted bar magnet.

The operating suite is divided into different cleanliness areas.