OUR HOSPITAL CLADDING FEAR
London inferno sparks calls for audit of city’s buildings
AUSTRALIA’S engineering peak body has called for an audit of Geelong buildings for unsafe cladding, amid fears highly combustible material has been used on buildings including Geelong hospital.
The call comes as the death toll from the Grenfall Tower fire in London has climbed to 58, with the use of aluminium plastic core cladding heavily criticised for possibly fuelling the fire.
Similar polyethylene core aluminium cladding has been used in the construction of the Geelong hospital’s new Baxter wing, with Barwon Health now in the process of having it replaced.
The Alucobond PE cladding used on the hospital is similar, but not the same, as the cladding used on the Grenfall Tower.
“Following an audit in December 2015, we identified a small area containing this material and as a precaution we are currently waiting on the approval of the Building Appeals Board to upgrade it with an alternate product,” Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said.
“Barwon Health, in consultation with DHHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) the CFA, and with the advice of industry experts, has implemented fire engineering strategies to minimise any risk until the upgrade has taken place.”
Engineers Australia president Chris Stoltz said the Victorian Builders Association should audit buildings in Geelong for use of appropriate cladding.
“We are saying that all buildings that may have this cladding should now be inspected by a chartered professional engineer in fire safety,” Mr Stoltz said.
“The inspection should include not just the fire combustibility characteristics, but also the nature of the design in which the material has been incorporated.
“The concern is not just about the use of combustible materials, it’s more about buildings being built in such a way as to be “nonconforming”.
Mr Stoltz said the engineering peak body hoped to see a national response to concerns about cladding to ensure safe and carefully designed and constructed buildings.
The Victorian Building Authority this week confirmed no Geelong buildings had been checked for fire risk from external cladding.
The industry watchdog has ordered a review of Melbourne buildings for fire risk, after an initial audit found half of 170 high-rise buildings in the inner city did not comply with safety regulations involving external cladding.