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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-04-05 Daily Xml
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HOSPITAL FIRE SAFETY

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (15:24): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister inform the house how SA Health is addressing fire safety standards in South Australia's major metropolitan hospitals?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (15:24): I thank the member for this question. I am very pleased to advise the house that $3.3 million is being invested this financial year to address fire safety compliance in our major metropolitan hospitals. This is in addition to extensive investment in fire safety works delivered as part of major redevelopment and routine maintenance works.

As members would be aware, a major capital works program is underway to upgrade our ageing hospital infrastructure and we are redeveloping or rebuilding every metropolitan hospital as well as four general hospitals in rural South Australia. All new works will be compliant and are compliant with the Building Code of Australia which, of course, includes fire safety provisions. In addition, SA Health works with the Metropolitan Fire Service and the Country Fire Service to improve the fire safety of older hospital buildings. While the current requirements in the code do not apply to older buildings, the Metropolitan Fire Service and the CFS assess all buildings against the current provisions in the interests of fire safety. Priority recommendations are assigned within triennial fire safety report surveys.

The most recent surveys of our metropolitan hospitals identified 163 priority 1 and 70 priority 2 recommendations; of these, 108 priority 1 and 49 priority 2 recommendations have now been completed, I am advised, and the remaining works are currently underway or awaiting funding due to the high costs of these items of work.

Many of these works exist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where numerous fire safety projects have been funded in recent years, including fire sprinkler installations, emergency and exit lighting, installation of fire doors and an emergency warning intercommunication system upgrade. However, as we know, the hospital comprises very old buildings with subterranean tunnels across the site, and it would be very complex and costly to bring the site to the current Building Code of Australia standard. Fortunately, we will not need to do that because we are building a new hospital instead which will meet the latest building regulations and standards.

The new RAH will also have higher standards in the areas of earthquake resistance and disability access. The state government is very committed to improving the fire safety of our hospitals and will continue this work through hospital maintenance, rebuilding and redevelopment programs into the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our emergency service officers for the fine work they do in our community.

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