NexGen
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Roof Planks were identified as a high risk for the Trust on its Risk Register. RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete used primarily for roofs during the mid-late 1900s. There are 15 Trusts nationally that have some form of RAAC in their buildings but, in most of these cases, RAAC is only in a small section of the estate. Of the 7 Trusts that are constructed more widely of RAAC planks, 2 of the 7 were already included on the national Hospital Infrastructure Plan (HIP) for hospital replacements, leaving 5 Trusts, including our client, with risk. The planks were at risk of compliance failure and needed Phase 1 assessments to ascertain structural integrity but the ceiling voids, and in some cases the RAAC planks themselves, were contaminated with asbestos sprayed coating or spray coating debris.
In some instances, RAAC planks are present in live wards and circulation areas. As a result of this, our asbestos pre-refurbishment asbestos surveys needed careful planning and engagement with end users, with work scheduled to be undertaken out of hours to mitigate impact to staff, patients and visitors.
