News update Dec 2024 - The Fencing surrounding Heretaunga Block at Hutt Hospital is coming down the week beginning 16 December.
This fencing was in place as detailed seismic assessments were undertaken. The Heretaunga Block is no longer considered earthquake prone. In undertaking the removal of the fencing, the safety of our staff, patients and visitors has been the key driving factor.
Late last year the final detailed seismic assessment of Hutt Hospital’s Heretaunga Block resulted in Hutt City Council lifting the block’s earthquake-prone building notice. Previous assessments are not predictors of building failure, nor an assessment of safety in a particular earthquake. Safety of patients and whanau, staff and visitors has been the driving force behind this work.
Following this downgraded assessment, engineers provided assurance that the risk of injury and service disruption was low, however safety measures such as the fencing have remained in place until now as a precaution in the unlikely event that an earthquake causes pieces of external cladding to fall.
Now the fencing is removed areas around Heretaunga Block can be accessed for maintenance. If, for any reason you have to evacuate the building for any reason, please take care when moving through any entrance or exit.
2023 - Te Whatu Ora is pleased that the final detailed seismic assessment of Hutt Hospital’s Heretaunga Block has resulted in Hutt City Council lifting the block’s earthquake-prone building notice.
The latest assessment has found that the precast panels’ connections are different to those typically encountered, and required careful consideration by several engineers, including drawing upon international research. This means that the overall rating of the entire building is now 35% NBS (IL3).
NBS percentage is an index used to characterise the expected seismic response of a building to earthquake shaking. It helps identify buildings that represent a higher seismic risk than a similar new building built to current Building Code standards. It is not a predictor of building failure, nor an assessment of safety in a particular earthquake.
“Decisions of this type about buildings’ seismic status are extremely technically complex, which means they take some time to be worked through,” said Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley acting Group Director Operations Hospital & Specialist Services Jamie Duncan.
“We took a prudent and cautious approach to this issue to determine how to respond to any possible risk while we considered a final detailed seismic assessment – which, we are pleased to see, is no longer considered earthquake-prone.
“While engineers have provided assurance that the risk of injury and service disruption is low, safety measures will remain in place as a precaution in the unlikely event that an earthquake causes pieces of external cladding to fall.
“Works can continue on the Maternity Ward and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) refurbishment currently located on level 2. This will expand into level 1 to improve clinical spaces and experience for patients and whanau, staff and visitors.”
The Heretaunga Block’s long-term future will be reviewed as part of national Te Whatu Ora asset management and investment planning processes.
More information is available on the Hutt City Council website. Previous information on Heretaunga Block is available here.
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