Protection for patients at The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro has been improved. Following a comprehensive Fire Risk Assessment, the hospital’s central fire escape staircase and bin storage areas have been upgraded with the installation of a passive fire protection solution from Promat UK.
“We specified Promat SUPALUX® for this project because we knew it could be fully relied upon to provide the required level of fire protection. It is also straightforward to install, which was another crucial factor as the work had to be undertaken while the hospital maintained its normal daily routine, so disruption had to be kept to a minimum.” Robert Moore, of Lilly Lewarne Practice chartered architects.
Promat SUPALUX® has a long track record of success on hospital projects where proven and durable fire protection is required.
Following a comprehensive Fire Risk Assessment, the decision was taken to upgrade the fire protection around the hospital’s central fire escape staircase and bin storage areas. Promat SUPALUX® boards were used to form a solid partition, 35mm thick. This was made up from 2 layers of 20 & 15mm thickness fixed together with galvanized angle around the perimeter of the opening, which was anchored to the structure.
The result was a solid but slim, independent partition, which could be installed between the metal balustrades of the staircase and a number of adjacent timber screens. The 35mm thick partition now provides an additional 60 minutes of fire resistance around the escape staircase. Standard SUPALUX® timber stud partitions were used to add a minimum of 60 minutes to the bin stores on each landing level of the hospital.
When the project architect made the initial enquiry we were able to recommend SUPALUX® solid partition for this application. At only 35mm it was the perfect solution to use in the restricted space that was available and still provide 60 minutes fire resistance.
The sub contractor, High Line Interior Systems, installed SUPALUX® to a high standard with minimal disruption, and Promat made regular visits to the site to help resolve any issues which arose during construction.
SUPALUX® is a strong and lightweight non-combustible high performance board with a gypsum-free, calcium silicate composition, which makes it ideal for many fire-resistance applications. It offers great flexibility thanks to its ability to provide up to 240 minutes fire protection, and has excellent moisture resistance and dimensional stability properties: This allows SUPALUX® board to be used in damp or humid conditions, and it can be safely installed in semi-exposed environments – even before a building is watertight – contributing to a faster build.
This makes it ideal for a wide range of applications, including internal partitions, external and internal walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, service enclosures and other types of protected zones.
