Doing the electric slide
While it is more than likely that I’ve touched on this in the past, the proper application of power strips and relocatable power taps in healthcare is very much a challenge for folks. It seems that (at least from my observations and experience) that the greatest risk is coming from the use of these devices in non-clinical settings (i.e., staff break rooms, office spaces, etc.) I did a fair amount of video review on YouTube but couldn’t find any single one that really captured the risks in hospitals enough. There are any number of risks to using (or misusing) these devices and if you want to see how things can go horribly wrong, there’s a good selection of “domestic” examples that can be viewed here.
The funny thing about all this consternation is that this is yet another condition/practice that tends to fall under the category of “unauthorized field modifications” in which the folks in the environment make determinations that kind of fly in the face of regulatory guidance. Now, it’s a fairly straightforward approach when we’re talking about powering equipment in the patient vicinity (this will give you a good starting point), but where things get dicey is in the backstage areas—the aforementioned break rooms, etc. The thing is, even in those settings, there are some pretty clear appliances that really shouldn’t be plugged into power strips (you can find a handy list of just about everything I’ve ever found plugged into a power strip here) and that’s not even getting into the use of hospital grade receptacles and not plugging power strips into extension cords (or vice versa). I’ve seen more than my share of scorched power strips and/or electrical outlets, which is something I would most certainly consider a near miss.
As a closing thought relative to electrical safety and all its discontents, Section 240.24(D) of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70) states that overcurrent devices (which are typically housed in your garden variety electrical panel) should not be located near easily ignitable materials, such as in clothes closets, and yet I see a constant stream of panels in all sorts of places that could fall into that category (e.g., clean utility/storage rooms, staff lounges, etc.) I know in older facilities these considerations weren’t necessarily in the regulatory mix, so the march of regulatory compliance has gone beyond the capacity for managing these areas. Is there one among you that doesn’t have at least one electrical panel in a spot where it is virtually impossible to maintain the 36 inches of clearance? Unless you have a completely brand-spanking-new facility (and even new ones are not immune) you have an electrical panel (or a zone shutoff valve, etc.) that is installed in a location that is impossible to be completely accessible at all times. And everyone “knows” they shouldn’t obstruct access, but, from an operational standpoint, the location (and isn’t it always about just that) makes no sense. In those instances, I think compliance has to go the way of a shared approach—work with the folks in the area to identify alternative strategies for maintaining access to this important equipment—and help them to understand (and maybe even accept) the importance of this consideration.
About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Chartis Group. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is the author of HCPro's Hospital Safety Director's Handbook and is an advisory board member for Accreditation and Quality Compliance Center. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.