Enhancing Fire Safety in Hospitals: A Comprehensive Guide
There were 1,159 fires on NHS England properties, including hospitals and other facilities, in 2022/23. This was an 18% increase compared to the number of fires in 2021/22. Given the high number of vulnerable patients, staff, and visitors, as well as the presence of oxygen tanks, hazardous chemicals, and expensive equipment, hospital fire safety is paramount.
However, unlike many other facilities and institutions, hospitals are faced with unique challenges that require careful planning when implementing fire safety solutions. Some of these challenges include combined fire hazards, sterile environments, laboratories with hazardous substances and explosive zones, medical imaging equipment interfering with regular fire detectors, and complex evacuation procedures.
Given these challenges, fire safety solutions in hospitals should include reliable active fire protection systems, which work actively to suppress or extinguish fires and ensure the safety of patients, staff, visitors, equipment, and infrastructure.
Find out more about the installation of fire suppression systems, emergency evacuation procedures, and other essential aspects of hospital fire prevention and protection in this article.
Installing Effective Fire Suppression Systems
Understanding Fire Suppression Systems
Automatic fire suppression systems are a type of active fire protection that form an integral part of hospital fire safety. These systems’ technology controls and extinguishes fires without human intervention. They are also a first line of defence for controlling fires until the fire brigade arrives. Some of the most common fire suppression systems used in healthcare settings in the UK include:
Sprinkler systems: These systems consist of a water supply system, a water distribution piping system, and sprinkler heads held closed by a heat-sensitive glass bulb or metal link. If the heat from a fire shatters the bulb or opens the link on a sprinkler head, it activates and sprays water onto the fire. Some sprinkler systems act as water misters and are suitable for hospital spaces that shouldn’t be exposed to large amounts of water. Misters create a layer of steam, starving the fire of oxygen.
Gas suppression systems: Activated by smoke detectors, this method of hospital fire prevention works by pumping gas into the room to reduce the oxygen content to below 15%. Most materials in fires won’t burn at such a low oxygen level. Some of the gases used in these systems include clean agents such as Novec 1230, an inert blend of nitrogen, argon, and CO2, and a blend of argon and nitrogen.
Foam systems: Two common types of foam systems include wet chemical foam systems that emit a water-based chemical foam agent into a small area, and foam deluge systems that use a foam and water mixture to create a thick blanket of foam to starve fires of oxygen.
Compliance with Regulations
In England and Wales, hospital fire safety is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety Act 2021. This legislation sets out fire safety regulations for most public buildings and workplaces.
To comply with these regulations, hospitals must install fire detection systems and active and passive fire protection systems, establish evacuation procedures, and conduct regular training sessions and fire drills. It’s vitally important that hospitals comply with these safety regulations to not only avoid penalties but also to increase the chances of protecting patients, personnel, and hospital property.
Integration with Building Design
Like other fire safety solutions in hospitals, fire suppression systems should be integrated into the buildings’ design to ensure maximum efficiency and coverage. Alarm systems using the latest smoke and heat detection technology should be integrated with communication and management systems and should cover all areas. Hospitals should also ensure that manual pull stations for activating alarms and active fire protection systems are placed in strategic areas.
Fire suppression systems such as foam or gas suppression systems should be placed securely in areas with vulnerable populations and sensitive equipment, while sprinkler or mister systems should be placed in less sensitive areas. Passive fire protection systems such as fire doors, fire walls, and dampers should also be integrated into the building design to divide it into distinct compartments that can slow or prevent the spread of fires.
Case Studies and Examples
The Bristol Royal Infirmary’s (BRI) installation of a deck integrated firefighting system (DIFFS) at the rooftop helipad is a good example of the successful implementation of a suppressive fire safety solution in a hospital. The system uses a series of pop-up nozzles built into the helipad that spray a mixture of water and foam to extinguish fires within 15 seconds.
The DIFFS boosted the hospital’s fire prevention measures, and it significantly reduced the facility’s staffing costs. As firefighting teams are no longer required to fight fires on the helipad, the hospital saves approximately £250,000 per year.
Emergency Evacuation Procedures
Emergency evacuation procedures should form part of a hospital fire safety plan. Find out about developing an evacuation plan, training and drills, special considerations for patients, and communication systems below.
Developing an Evacuation Plan
Follow these steps to develop an emergency evacuation plan:
Specify evacuation conditions: Define the conditions that require an evacuation of patients, visitors, and staff, taking into account the building’s characteristics and condition.
Determine a clear chain of command: Specify a clear chain of command, ensuring everyone knows what their role and duties are and has been trained to perform them.
Specify evacuation plan procedures: Ensure the locations of all emergency routes, exits, equipment, and assembly points are marked clearly and are kept free of obstructions at all times.
Put procedures in place for high-rise buildings: If your hospital has one or more high-rise buildings, ensure that evacuation plans are posted on each floor, and that each floor has designated staff who will be responsible for evacuating people and making sure everyone is accounted for.
Designate evacuation wardens to assist patients, visitors and employees: Designate one evacuation warden for every 20 employees or visitors as part of your hospital fire safety plan. The warden should close fire doors, check offices, and consult the visitor log to ensure all visitors exit the building safely.
Designate staff to shut down critical operations and perform other duties after the evacuation alarm: Designate a few staff members to shut down critical machines and utilities after the evacuation alarm sounds, as it’s not always possible to shut down everything simultaneously. Make sure they know when they should evacuate for their own safety.
Determine how to account for all patients, staff, and visitors after evacuating: Determine the means of accounting for all patients, staff, and visitors after evacuating, such as by consulting digital patient logs, visitor logs, and staff attendance registers.
Revisit the emergency evacuation plan periodically and update it when necessary.
Training and Drills
All hospital staff should be familiar with the evacuation procedures to enable them to respond quickly and efficiently in an emergency. This makes regular training sessions and drills vital components of hospital fire prevention and safety plans.
Conduct fire drills at least once a year and keep a record of the results in order to identify potential problems. If possible, conduct a fire drill at least once every three months.
Special Considerations for Patients
Evacuating patients in the event of a healthcare facility fire poses unique challenges, particularly when patients have limited mobility or require life-support equipment. The following strategy can help you plan for patient evacuation as part of your hospital fire safety procedures:
- Move patients in immediate danger to a safe area first
- Move non-mobile and mobile patients who are closest to danger
- Direct mobile patients toward a safe area
- Escort wheelchair or walker-dependent patients to a safe area
- Move stretcher or non-mobile patients with evacuation chairs, blankets, or mattresses
Communication Systems
Reliable communication systems are an important part of fire safety solutions in hospitals. These systems ensure that staff can coordinate effectively and provide clear instructions to patients and visitors. Ensure that several different communications form part of your plan, such as:
- Public address systems
- Mobile phones, tablets, and notebooks
- Desktop computers
- Landline phones
- Two-way radios
- Pagers
Regular Maintenance and Inspection of Fire Safety Systems
Effective hospital fire prevention and emergency procedures are impossible if you do not conduct regular maintenance and inspection of the fire safety systems. Take a look at key considerations below.
Scheduled Inspections
All hospital fire safety systems should be inspected and maintained regularly to ensure they remain functional and effective. In the UK, fire alarm tests should take place weekly, and a full service of fire safety systems should take place every six months.
Scheduled inspections should have a broad scope, covering alarm systems, sprinklers, fire pumps, fire suppression systems, compartmentation, fire extinguishers, generator sets or other forms of alternative power, escape routes, and exit and assembly points.
Upgrading and Modernising Systems
Ensure that your hospital fire prevention systems are kept up to date with the latest standards and technology. Upgrading older systems to newer, more efficient models offers a range of benefits.
Some of these benefits include reduced risk to staff, patients, and visitors, reduced maintenance costs, enhanced protection for major assets, maintaining legal compliance, and boosted staff morale.
Documentation and Compliance
All hospital fire safety inspections, maintenance, and upgrades should be documented thoroughly, and the records kept secure. This helps you to ensure compliance with government regulations.
Thorough documentation of these actions also helps to facilitate audits of the hospital fire prevention system and other areas of compliance.
Prioritise Keeping Patients and Staff Safe from Fires
Enhancing fire safety in hospitals is a critical aspect of ensuring the well-being of patients, staff, and visitors. By implementing effective fire suppression systems, developing comprehensive evacuation procedures, and maintaining regular inspections, hospitals can create a safer environment. Prioritising hospital fire protection not only complies with regulations but also fosters trust and security within the healthcare facility.
Get in touch with Bell for more information about hospital fire prevention system installations and upgrades.
