Sprinklers in Hospitals

[FireDave]

I know this subject has been covered before, but I have found an article in a newspaper today which states that "Last month, revised Government guidelines on NHS fire safety acknowledged that sprinklers had a part to play but stated "there is not a clear case for the generic requirement to install fire suppression systems in hospitals and other healthcare premises".
I have looked on the Gov. Communities website, but cannot find any trace of this revised guidence.
Has anyone heard of this revision before, and if so can you let me know where to find it?

Thanks for your help
Dave

[RON G]

Dave I havent got the guidance, but on the subject of sprinklers in Hospitals, in 2002 Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich West Midlands had a major fire which completley destroyed the A&E department resulting in a rebuild at approximately 20 million pounds. I was on the first of many pre build meetings as the fire adviser and suggested providing a sprinkler system this was suprisingly accepted with very little objections from the architects or from the projects department, also with having a sprinkler system you can reduce the fire resistance to many areas for example risk rooms, although in this instance we made no reductions.

Regards

Ron G

[GB]

If you follow this link hopefully you should find it. Sections 2.5 & 3 are the most interesting in terms of sprinklers being of no great benefit!. I would like to see their research case for this and hopefully it is not all based on personal preference.

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/hdl2005_53.pdf

I have had a call today from a FSO who has an extension of a hospital that will be sprinklered which covers 40% of the existing footprint which will leave 60% of the re-developed site unsprinklered - this document is being used against him being able to pursue for a full installation. Progress??