Modern healthcare facilities are sophisticated complexes that are filled with sensitive equipment, specialized environments, and computer systems. Because hospitals operate 24/7 and often involve life saving situations, the JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) demands that hospital fire protection system inspection, testing, and maintenance records be kept current and accurate. With so much at stake, hospital and medical facility managers must be vigilant in keeping their patients and staff safe. Following a few standard routine safety checks can thereby help to keep fires under control or prevent them altogether.

Basic Hospital Fire Safety Strategies

Here are four basic hospital fire safety strategies to help ensure your healthcare facility keeps its risk of fire low:

1. Monitor Kitchen and Food Prep Areas: Cooking equipment is the number one cause of fires in hospitals and healthcare facilities. So, practicing fire safety techniques in this area is essential. Here are some OSHA recommended tips:

• Empty appliance grease traps on a regular basis to reduce risk of grease fires
• Store any flammable liquids, oils, or other items far away from cooking equipment
• Clean grills and grill ducts regularly 
• Check all electrical cords for damage or wear
• Keep portable fire extinguishers close by and ensure that your staff knows how to operate them

1. Check Electrical Outlets and Wires: Electrical malfunctions caused by faulty outlets or damaged wires can quickly turn into a dangerous fire. Therefore, you should check electrical outlets and wires regularly and never rely on extension cords as permanent sources of power delivery.
2. Train Your Staff in Hospital Fire Safety: If a fire breaks out, your staff should know what to do. You should provide routine fire safety training and designate a Safety Officer to oversee the training. Your staff should know how to use fire extinguishers and how to identify and resolve potential fire risks.
3. Create an Action Plan: Every hospital needs to have a fire safety plan that breaks down exactly what to do in an emergency. This will help ensure that all employees will be on the same page if a fire occurs. The RACE method is a common template used by many hospitals and it includes:

• Rescue any patients who are in danger
• Activate a fire alarm if you see a fire, or respond immediately when you hear an alarm
• Confine fires by closing off doors and hallways
• Extinguish small fires only; leave major fires for the fire department

Protect Your Patients, Staff, and Facility with Routine Hospital Fire Inspections

Hospitals are large, complex environments with unlimited opportunities in which a fire can break out. Ensuring that your fire safety and suppression system is working and up to code is essential for keeping patients and staff safe, protecting your equipment, and avoiding costly fines and penalties.  Metro Fire Inspections is a full-service fire protection company with partnerships with several hospitals and medical facilities throughout NYC’s five boroughs, Westchester County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. Our experienced team offers consultative, design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and violation remediation services. Make sure your hospital meets all City, County, and State fire code requirements – contact us today at 631-994-0081 or click here to send us a message online.