Media release from West Coast DHB

West Coast District Health Board chief executive, David Meates, said the DHB received a detailed engineer's report yesterday which found the Laundry and Boiler House and Boiler House chimney at Grey Base Hospital to be earthquake-prone and high risk. This is largely due to construction containing unreinforced masonry, however, other critical structural weaknesses have been identified. The building and chimney don't meet current seismic standards.

"As we've said before when closing other DHB facilities due to seismic risk, staff safety will always come first. Today we are closing the Grey Hospital laundry and in the short term, laundry will be done at a Christchurch laundry and trucked over regularly. We're setting up a temporary Linen Distribution Centre on site at the hospital to ensure business as usual," Mr Meates said.

He said many DHB buildings were being assessed for seismic compliance. "We are expecting further reports on Grey Hospital buildings and one on its electrical systems. The findings of these reports will help us make firm plans for facilities on the Grey Hospital site," Mr Meates said.

"We are pricing options for repairing and strengthening the building, and at this stage we don't know how long the interim arrangements will be in place.

It's likely the chimney will be replaced with a temporary steel chimney and we will also get a portable boiler as a back- up to ensure steam on site.

"I realise this unexpected news will be unsettling for staff and would like to acknowledge and thank the laundry, transport and boiler staff for their cooperation and flexibility with their new working arrangements," David Meates said.