Sliding Doors and Fire Protection for UPU Craiova

The Emergency Reception Unit of the Craiova County Hospital is undergoing a major modernization and expansion process, with the works initiated from the own budget of the Dolj County Council and then taken over for financing through a project with non-reimbursable funds.

Driven by the need generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which put great pressure on hospitals, several medical units in Romania have started modernization or expansion processes of emergency reception areas. Such projects are more than necessary, being a bandage on the wound of Romania’s hospital infrastructure. The need for new hospitals, built from scratch, remains equally urgent.

Clean Sliding Doors from KADRA for a Modern and Safe Hospital

KADRA participated in this project, initiated back in 2018, with specific access control solutions. Our teams installed automations at UPU Craiova for swing doors for wards. This type of ward door meets the requirements of controlled environments in hospitals, builders, installers, and, through its refined design, also satisfies the vision of architects. Additionally, the door has a construction that prevents dust accumulation, optionally featuring a coplanar glass with the panel; due to the materials used (HPL), it can be cleaned with specific substances without degrading.

Automatic sliding doors were also installed to facilitate circulation between various areas of the newly constructed section, as well as metal doors resistant to antimicrobial acid. We are therefore talking about solutions specially designed for the specific functionalities of a hospital to facilitate rapid and safe access between different areas, frequent sanitization possibilities with specific biocidal substances (thus the doors must be made of materials resistant to such solutions).

Fire Protection Ensured by Fire-Resistant Curtains

Fire safety for hospitals in Romania is an ever-burning topic, many of the old hospitals have outdated fire safety systems and dramatic incidents have occurred in medical units more than once.

At UPU Craiova, the aim was also to increase the level of fire safety, according to current regulations, and two exterior fire-resistant curtains were installed. Fire-resistant curtains are innovative products that use a flexible, thin, and lightweight material (fiberglass fabric reinforced with high-alloy stainless steel), with fire resistance.

In some situations, they can be an alternative to fire-resistant sliding doors. An advantage of a fire-resistant curtain is that it does not require large free spaces around the opening it closes. They remain in the “normally open” position and close gravitationally upon the outbreak of a fire. The opening (lifting of the curtain) is done by a small electric motor and they are equipped with a control panel. Their closure can be triggered by the building’s smoke control panel or independent smoke sensors.