Watching (for) the fires

One of the less frequently occurring conditions (at least in healthcare circles) is instances of fire alarm/suppression systems impairments that require implementation of a fire watch. As a low-volume/higher-risk undertaking, there are some nuances that can be tricky to navigate. Dale Lyman, a senior fire protection consultant at Telgian Engineering, offers a nicely constructed (and precise) overview of the Code references as well as a description of what a fire watch needs to look like. (Lyman pens a recurring column, Life Safety News, on LinkedIn that is well worth checking out.) I know sometimes there can be a temptation to try and minimize the impact of a fire watch on staffing, etc., but it’s really a critical process when your systems are impaired. Check out Lyman’s sage advice here.

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.