Potentially combustible cladding found at Fiona Stanley Hospital
Fiona Stanley Hospital bosses have confirmed the presence of potentially dangerous cladding on the exterior of the hospital.
In an email sent to all staff on Monday Fiona Stanley Fremantle hospitals group executive director Neil Doverty and south metro health service chief executive Paul Forden said aluminium composite panels had been used on the state's largest hospital.
The cladding is the same material experts believe may have added to the ferocity of the fire that killed 72 people in the Grenfell tower fire in London in 2017.
"Specialist fire engineers have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Panel panels on the exterior of the Fiona Stanley Hospital," the email read.
"While the use of ACP panels was previously approved under the Building Code of Australia, they are now considered a combustible building material.
"We are working with the Department of Health on a plan to replace the cladding, where required; with the timeframes for remediation to be confirmed."
The email said the safety of staff and patients was a priority but there was no need to relocate either.
"Our ongoing comprehensive staff fire safety training and regular fire hydrant and evacuation testing are an important part of our risk mitigation, but we will be investigating additional safety measures to further mitigate any risk," it read.
In a statement the Department of Health said work would soon commence on a remediation strategy but it did not reveal how much cladding was on the hospital, how much it would cost to replace or how long it would take.
The hospital cost has 783 beds, cost $2 billion and began accepting patients in 2014.
The Grenfell fire triggered building audits around the world including in WA by the building commissioner.
Last year Health Minister Roger Cook said he was confident neither Fiona Stanley Hospital or the Perth Children's Hospital would be caught up in the cladding audit.
The hospital is one of four Department of Health buildings requiring remediation work following a state-wide audit of public and private buildings.
Currently 14 public buildings and 15 private buildings have been identified in the audit.