Grenfell Tower-style cladding found at the RVH
BELFAST’S Royal Victoria Hospital contains cladding “similar” to that used in Grenfell Tower, the Department of Health has revealed.
The BBC reported last night that tests are to be carried out on cladding used on a building at the west Belfast complex.
In a statement to the broadcasting organisation, the Department of Health said that it was assessing the condition of cladding on the hospital’s critical care buildings.
“Out of the 19 buildings inspected it has been identified that the critical care block in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has a limited installation of a cladding system similar to that used on Grenfell Tower Block,” it said.
“It has been installed to a roof top ventilation plant room and an external entrance canopy.
“In light of recent events, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is further assessing the extent of the installation, however, it has been confirmed this building has been designed and built in compliance with current building regulations and meets fire safety requirements.”
It’s understood the upper 10 floors of the building are empty. The ground and first floors house the emergency department.
Cladding at the South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon is also under investigation.
The news comes as hospitals across the UK are being checked for the presence of Grenfell Tower-style cladding.
NHS authorities last week ordered an audit of every hospital, amid concerns about wider use of the material.
Earlier this week UK fire chiefs warned that up the 38 hospitals could be at risk from the materials suspected of being responsible for the London high- rise tragedy that has claimed 80 lives and triggered a public inquiry.
The alert came as more than 17,000 care homes and private hospitals were ordered to under- take their own safety reviews in the wake of the disaster in south Kensington.
It is understood that there are currently no plans to evacuate any patients or care home residents from any of the affected buildings.
It was also learned yesterday that modern university buildings are potential users of the cladding materials.
Abertay University in Scotland yesterday confirmed that it will conduct tests on the cladding used on a part of one of its buildings in light of a review carried out after the Grenfell Tower inferno.
The east elevation of the Kydd Building in Dundee was found to have cladding that includes an aluminium composite material.
University officials said further investigations and testing are under way to establish if the product used within the cladding is of concern.
For the time being, it has been deemed safe for the building to continue being used.