Recent updates from the National Fire Protection Association for the unique fire safety challenges faced by health care facilities. These codes and compliances are in place for patients and the health care facilities safety.
Health care facilities are turning to the Fire Watch team at Curtis Protective Services to stay compliant with the NFPA codes. This ensures patient’s safety and quality of care from health care facilities and providers.
The NFPA answers some common questions about these fire safety procedures for health care facilities
What is the cause of most fires in medical facilities?
The leading causes of fires between 2014 and 2016, according to NFIRS data, were cooking (71 percent), appliances (5 percent), heating (5 percent), and electrical systems (5 percent).
Over 80 percent of all these fires were limited to the object of origin, with only 5 percent extending beyond the room of origin.
What is the NFPA standard for health care facilities?
NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, encompasses a wide range of requirements related to the systems and equipment found throughout health care facilities. These include fire protection systems, emergency power systems, life.safety systems, electrical systems, and medical gas and vacuum systems. The code includes requirements related to hazardous materials management in health care facilities as well.
Why do health care facilities have to comply with NFPA 99 and NFPA 101?
Any health care facility that seeks to be reimbursed for treating patients using Medicare or Medicaid insurance must comply with requirements set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Among many other duties, CMS establishes requirements for health care providers and facilities to ensure safe, quality care for patients. Part of its requirements address fire, life, and electrical safety.
Which types of facilities have to comply with NFPA 99 and NFPA 101?
Many types of health care facilities are subject to CMS requirements and therefore have to comply with NFPA 99 and NFPA 101. These include hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAHs), long-term care facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID), ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), hospices that provide inpatient services, religious non-medical health care institutions (RNHCIs), and programs of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE) facilities.
