Professionally designed, installed and maintained fire protection systems are a critical part of patient, staff and visitors safety.
In a hospital or healthcare facility, patient health and safety is the number one priority. Professionally designed, installed and maintained fire protection systems are a critical part of patient, staff and visitors safety. Fire protection should never be forgotten or minimized, especially during a pandemic. Read on to learn about the top life safety and fire protection recommendations.
Evacuation
In many cases, patients are severely injured or sick, making walking very difficult or even impossible. For this reason, a hospital needs to have fire protection systems that will detect or extinguish a fire in its earliest stages. This provides enough time so that patients can be quickly evacuated. A complicating factor is a high-rise building. A fire or other emergency on a high floor makes early detection a must.
Surgical Procedures
Although fire in operating rooms are rare, many surgical patients cannot be evacuated in the event of fire. The use of oxygen and other medical gases increase the hazards. Alcohols and other flammable materials may also be present. Fire protection for operating rooms might be the most important consideration in a hospital. Standard sprinkler systems may not be the best choice and early warning smoke detection systems are essential. Due to the amount of monitoring equipment and other medical devices electrical safety is a vitally important consideration in limiting fires.
Labs with Flammable Materials
Most hospitals have laboratories for testing and other medical technologies. Often, flammable materials and chemicals are present that can cause fires. Hospital laboratories must be equipped with professionally engineered fire suppression systems and procedures that minimize the chance of fire.
Kitchens
Commercial kitchens are the top cause of hospital fires. Properly designed commercial kitchen hood fire suppression systems are vital. These systems must be inspected every six months. In addition, K class fire portable fire extinguishers must be installed adjacent to the cooking equipment. Proper training in the use of fire extinguishers should be mandatory for all personnel.
Special Hazards Fire Protection
Highly specialized medical equipment and machines are very expensive and can contribute to the risk of fire. Alternative fire suppression systems, like water mist and clean agents should be considered, as well as early warning smoke detection systems. These agents minimize or eliminate water damage and early warning smoke detection can alert personnel before a major incident. These recommendations can be applied to data centers and control rooms.
Fire Protection Services from Fireline
Whether you need fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, or automatic sprinkler systems at your commercial property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting people and property from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our superb customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are located in Baltimore, MD and, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.