Oxford Method Research Programme

     Introduction

Since the removal of Crown Immunity from Health Service buildings in 1991, with the responsibility for approving the design of new buildings passing to Local Authority Building Control Departments as well as Approved Inspectors, NHS Trust hospital estates departments and designers have been regularly challenged on the level of fire protection provided by the elements of structure on existing 2M and 3M buildings.

Although prior to 1991 Health Authorities were required by the Department of Health, through NHS Estates, to design hospital buildings to meet the minimum standards of fire protection required by legislation it has been found that many existing structures do not meet those standards. These errors in the original design are discovered only when applications are made to alter or extend existing Oxford Method buildings and questions are asked by the approving authority. The main areas of contention being:

• External wall design,
• Lack of cavity barriers in suspended ceiling voids
• Asbestos suspended ceilings