Modernized helipad at Zurich University Hospital becoming operational
November 2021 | Safety Assessment
Until the summer of this year, the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) had two helipads whose structural design did not comply with the requirements of EASA/ICAO guidelines nor with the Swiss guidelines on hospital landing areas issued by the FOCA. In combination with the fact that the USZ is formally an operation according to the Swiss Major Accidents Ordinance (StFV), this condition was no longer considered tolerable by the responsible Office for Waste, Water, Energy and Air of the Canton of Zurich (AWEL) and GfL was commissioned by the USZ to perform an extended risk analysis, which also takes into account secondary effects of a possible helicopter crash according to StFV. From this, action requirements were derived, which led to a reconstruction of the landing site. On the evening of October 27, 2021, the first rescue helicopter was able to approach the new helipad of the USZ after the modifications had been completed.
