Contractor: Wernick Group
Client: Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
Type of works: Fire Door Manufacture & Installation
Ahmarra have manufactured and installed severe-duty doorsets from our Healthcare Range for Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, Hampshire, as part of their new development. Wernick Group were contracted to deliver the hospital’s brand new modular building. Doorsets were manufactured and installed under the BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door scheme.
QA Hospital’s new two-storey, 7,000 square metre building houses 15 four-bed wards and 12 single-bed rooms, as well as offices, stores, therapy rooms, kitchens and utility rooms. The new facility means that Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust can effectively meet the increased demand for additional bed space for Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. The building provides rehabilitation services for patients recovering from head injuries and strokes.
The key purpose of a fire door is to protect people and property. Due to the nature of the hospital environment, many of its users are vulnerable and/or incapacitated and the equipment housed within it can be very expensive. The Trust therefore selected an enhanced fire-rating of FD60 for the doors under BS 476 pt22, which maximises the time staff have to help with the safe evacuation of patients and provide sufficient time for fire-fighters to prevent the loss of wards and equipment in the event of a fire.
These encapsulated doorsets feature PVC-u facings, edges, glazing beads and frames that are hygienic, easy to keep clean and durable. The PVC-u material incorporate Hygienilac®, an anti-bacterial compound that is mixed throughout the PVC at manufacture, rather than being just a surface coating. The biocide kills 99.9% of bacteria, preventing the spread of infections like C-difficile, MRSA, Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli. The client selected textured impact resistant PVC-u in Snow White (RAL 9001) for the door facings and contrasting Steel Grey (RAL 7038) for the protection plates and frames, which Ahmarra sourced from Intastop.
All doorsets feature kick plates, and doorsets within the communal areas also feature mid-rail protection plates making them more resistant to the heavy footfall of the busy hospital environment, as well as impact from hospital beds and porter trolleys that are regularly moved from ward to ward. These fire doorsets were supplied with fully compatible ironmongery, including hinges, handles, closers, locks and all the necessary fire door signage.
Our experienced installation team, whilst installing the doorsets, were mindful to keep disruption and noise to an absolute minimum. This even required removal of existing doors and fitting new doors overnight, ensuring installations were completed on time.
Healthcare environments often have specific requirements, such as certified fire protection, durability, accessibility, acoustic performance, and in some cases, wayfinding features determined by the colour of the door’s facing. Our healthcare door range can be tailored to the unique requirements of your project. To learn more, click here.
