Monday, September 30, 2013
Joint Commission discusses Fire Safety Equipment Inventories at ASHE Conference
By David Stymiest, PE CHFM CHSP FASHE
The Joint Commission (TJC) Engineering Director George Mills addressed the issue of fire safety equipment inventories at his 2013 ASHE Annual Conference plenary in July.
Mr. Mills stated that with respect to Standard EC.02.03.05, Elements of Performance (EPs) # 1 through # 20 inclusive, every device required to be tested must be documented in an inventory. He further stated that TJC surveyors will expect the facility to be able to identify specific variances in devices tested from year to year, and that simply having the total quantity of devices without more specific definition will not be adequate. Finally, Mr. Mills stated that lack of a written, electronic, or other form of inventory addressing the devices covered by any of the 20 EPs could result in a finding against that EP. Needless to say, Organizations who have yet not finalized their EC.02.03.05 inventories can be subject to numerous RFIs during survey.
Friday, September 27, 2013
TJC Addresses CMS Categorical Waivers
By David Stymiest, PE CHFM CHSP FASHE
ASHE recently discussed in its Listserv TJC’s response to the CMS categorical waivers.
According to ASHE, TJC requested that organizations indicate in the eBBI’s Additional Comments field the acceptance of any categorical waivers as well as so noting those decisions in the EOC Committee minutes. TJC Life Safety Code surveyors will field-verify that the CMS conditions are being met for any accepted waiver, similarly to the CMS onsite field-verification approach.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
CMS ISSUES MORE CATEGORICAL WAIVERS
By David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE
Waivers address selected life safety, medical gas master alarm, emergency power testing, and firesafety equipment testing requirements.
The
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new Survey &
Certification memorandum # S&C: 13-58-LSC to its State Survey Agency
Directors on August 30, 2013. This new
S&C memo identifies several areas where several separate requirements more
than a decade old are being relaxed for (and only for) those facilities that
take the necessary steps to elect to use the waivers.
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