Continuous monitoring keeps watch over life safety systems such as fire suppression and HVAC systems, which control the physical environment in crucial places such as operating rooms (OR) and patient treatment areas.
This photo illustrates the amount of dust that can accumulate on a sprinkler head, possibly impeding the water flow or the time it takes for the internal sensor to signal significant heat to activate the nozzle. (Credit: Ernest E. Allen, ARM, CSP, CPHRM, CHFM)
Hurricanes, floods, fires, and other natural and manmade incidents can strike anytime, anywhere. Faced with such disasters, hospitals must not only respond to the emergency but also maintain continuity of patient care under the most trying circumstances imaginable.
One of the more ubiquitous findings in my travels are those relating to water infiltration/intrusion: peeling paint, stained ceiling tiles, pesky growths, etc.
Seattle Children’s Hospital shut down four of its 14 operating rooms (OR) this week after mold was detected last weekend, forcing the facility to reschedule or move dozens of surgeries.
Ensure your facilities team has the resources they need to clean, repair, or replace sprinkler heads to reduce the number of citations—and the amount of paperwork—you may face on your next accreditation survey.
