Project Details
Monklands University Hospital is a large acute healthcare facility providing a wide range of emergency, inpatient, and specialist clinical services. The scale of the hospital campus, combined with vulnerable occupants and continuous clinical activity, required a highly controlled and coordinated approach to fire and life safety throughout the project.
The project involved works within a live hospital environment where patient safety, staff protection, and continuity of critical medical services were paramount. Fire safety considerations needed to be managed carefully to ensure compliance while supporting uninterrupted operation across multiple departments.
Our involvement focused on the delivery of project services and fire and life safety consultancy support, providing technical oversight and coordination to ensure fire safety requirements were fully embedded within the project delivery process. This included close liaison with clinical teams, estates personnel, designers, and contractors to manage interfaces and risks effectively.
Particular attention was given to maintaining safe means of escape, preserving compartmentation integrity, and managing temporary fire safety arrangements during phased works.
Pre Construction Phase Design
During the pre construction phase, our team supported the review and coordination of fire safety strategies tailored to the complex operational demands of an acute hospital environment.
This included assessment of proposed works against existing fire safety measures, review of evacuation strategies considering patient dependency levels, and coordination of temporary and permanent fire safety provisions to maintain compliance throughout the programme.
Design coordination focused on ensuring that changes to layouts, services, or departmental configurations did not adversely affect fire compartments, escape routes, or system performance.
The pre construction phase established a clear and robust framework for safe delivery within a highly sensitive clinical setting.
Pre Construction Phase Documentation and Planning
In parallel with design coordination activities, a comprehensive suite of pre construction documentation was prepared to support quality assurance, safety management, and controlled execution.
This included preparation and review of technical documentation outlining scope, responsibilities, and compliance with applicable healthcare fire safety guidance and regulatory requirements.
Risk Assessment Method Statements were developed and reviewed to address the challenges of working within a live acute hospital, including emergency access requirements, patient movement, infection control considerations, and coordination with clinical operations.
Inspection and verification processes were defined to ensure works were undertaken in accordance with agreed fire safety requirements.
A phased programme was also developed to coordinate works around critical clinical activities, ensuring disruption was minimised and patient safety maintained at all times.
Through proactive project services support, detailed coordination, and continued technical oversight, the project was delivered in a controlled and compliant manner, supporting the safe operation of a major acute healthcare facility while maintaining high standards of fire and life safety.
