Most people are familiar with evacuation plans and fire safety information located on hotel room doors. This information is not required in hospitals under normal conditions; however, they must protect occupants during periods when NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code® is not met or during periods of construction. One of the administrative activities prescribed for Interim Life Safety Measures as required by the 2010 Hospital Accreditation Standards for Life Safety is LS.01.02.01 which states, “The hospital posts signage identifying the location of alternate exits to everyone affected.”
While there are no prescriptive requirements for the arrangement or information provided on the signs, here are a few suggestions to consider:
1. A floor diagram reflecting the actual floor arrangement and exit locations, and oriented with the actual direction of the exits works well to get people moving in the right direction. The sign may indicate the locations of primary and secondary exits. The diagram may include a “YOU ARE HERE” symbol to orient persons of their location relative to alternate exits.
2. Locations of smoke compartments, smoke barriers, horizontal exits, egress stairs, and areas of refuge are all important during fire emergencies to help in evacuating or relocating persons and patients.
3. The signage may include symbols for portable fire extinguishers and hose stations, manual fire alarm boxes, and instructions for the notification of fire, evacuation procedures, and extinguishment methods.
4. The signage should be verified for accuracy regularly and updated as required. As soon as the signage is no longer necessary they should be removed.
No comments:
Post a Comment