Case Study – Healthcare

Project: Southern General Hospital
Architect: Hypostyle Architects
Main Contractor:  Balfour Beatty

Laidlaw Access Control and Door Furniture for groundbreaking neonatal unit in Glasgow

In keeping with its record of supplying major hospital projects, Laidlaw Solutions door hardware and access control systems have been specified for the new £28m Obstetrics, Neonatal and Foetal Medicine department of Glasgow's Southern General Hospital. In total, 5800 sq m of additional floor space was added, with a 700 sq m extension and upgrade to the existing block. The three-storey unit will provide intensive care facilities for sick babies and high dependency care for mothers as part of a £750m plan to bring maternity, children and adult hospital services onto one site. Around 5,500 babies are expected to be delivered every year.

Laidlaw Solutions was asked by Balfour Beatty, in conjunction with Hypostyle Architects, to provide an automated entry solution to the new theatre area, to enable safe movement of patients on trolleys and in wheelchairs. Orbis Commercial hardware was installed with the automatic door operators, the choice having been prompted by criteria established by the architect, contractor and Building Control. These included provision of appropriate fire and smoke protection using products of elegant design. Ryan Young of Hypostyle commented, "We decided to use Laidlaw Ironmongery due to its simple, aesthetic design properties and quality of finish. Technical issues were answered promptly throughout the design and construction phases of the project.

The door operators have an electromechanical drive which enables heavy doors to be moved with virtually no noise, the gears having direct power transmission to the door leaf. The units are compact, with a profile height of only 70mm, and have an electronic  safety mechanism to prevent doors closing on users. Laidlaw's Glasgow Lock Station supplied the master key cylinder and master key system.

In addition to door closers, Orbis Commercial hardware included round bar section pull and lever handles, snap-on cover escutcheons with concealed fixings, and modular lock cases. Installation and commissioning was undertaken by Laidlaw's own engineers, who provided certification of compliance with BS7036:1996.

Laidlaw solutions' diverse range of access control systems can now accommodate requirements for remote monitoring, encrypted signalling, audit traceability or high user flexibility. Through recommendation of appropriate maintenance requirements, products can routinely be incorporated into a wider building management system.