Oxford Method Research Programme

     Introduction

Following the occurrence of a fire in the early part of 2004 in a single storey detached Oxford Method 2M building containing an outpatients department, wards, theatres and administrative facilities, the Oxford Method Royalties Group commissioned BRE to carry out an investigation into why the suspended ceiling system had collapsed and failed to contain the fire for the minimum design period of 30 minutes. The likely fire performance of the elements of construction that typically make up such buildings had been considered in a BRE report CC 205235, dated 24 September 2001. This report concluded that the Asbestolux suspended ceiling would provide 30 minutes fire protection to the structural elements within the suspended ceiling void as long as it had been installed and maintained to the original designers specification. Details of this report and its conclusions are available for viewing on the web site.