The cladding on Hull Royal Infirmary is to be removed after the building was found to no longer comply with fire safety regulations. The insulation and cladding, which was installed just over a decade ago in 2013/14, “received building control approval” at the time but a change of law was made in 2022..
The regulations surrounding cladding safety were amended in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017 which killed 72 people when a devastating blaze tore through the west London tower block. An inquiry into the tragedy found the building’s cladding to be the “principal cause of the rapid fire spread”.
Last month, the NHS Humber Health Partnership announced a number of changes to Hull Royal Infirmary, including alterations to the cladding. It has since emerged that the changes will be made following a fire authority enforcement which was triggered after the NHS Trust approached Humberside Fire and Rescue Service for advice.
Explaining the situation, a spokesperson for NHS Humber Health Partnership said: “During a comprehensive survey of Hull Royal Infirmary’s tower block exterior this summer, it came to light that materials used in the refurbishment of the building in 2013/14, which received building control approval at the time of installation, no longer comply with current regulations. As patient safety is a top priority for us, we proactively consulted Humberside Fire and Rescue Service for advice.”
The spokesperson added: “Following discussions with the service, we are now planning to start work in the New Year on removing and replacing some of the material used in the original construction, to ensure we meet the latest standards. We expect the work to last around 20 months and, while members of the public will see work taking place on the outside of the hospital, there will be minimal disruption for users of the building.
“Patient care and services will continue as normal. Patients, staff and visitors can be reassured as we have extensive measures in place to ensure their safety, including a high-spec fire alarm system and stringent passive fire protection methods such as fire-resistant doors, floors and ceilings.
“Humberside Fire and Rescue Service have informed us that they are satisfied with both the proposed works, and the fire prevention measures in place now and planned for during the construction period. We will continue to seek their input as the works progress.”
When the changes were first announced at the end of August, Tom Myers, Group Director of Estates, Facilities and Development for NHS Humber Health Partnership, said: “Monitoring a hospital estate the size of Hull Royal Infirmary is no mean feat. It’s a constant cycle of installations, improvements, repairs and maintenance to ensure our buildings and facilities are in the best possible shape to allow staff to deliver great care.
“Aside from very minor repairs, it’s been more than decade since any significant maintenance works were carried out on the outside of the tower block, so over the next few months, passers-by should expect to see this latest round of maintenance kicking off.” At the time, Mr Myers explained that the work will also include “some much-needed improvements to our ageing lift system to improve its reliability, as we know how much frustration having lifts out of order, especially during busy periods, can cause in a building of this size.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
