Chemistry of Fire

Fire burns because there are

three elements present...
Fuel
Heat
Oxygen

By removing any one element a fire can

not occur, or a fire will not be able to
sustain combustion.
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Fire Prevention Practices...
Keep passage ways and exits clear
Ensure fire extinguishers and fire alarm pull
stations are accessible at all times
Place trash in proper receptacles
Ensure that fire doors are not blocked open

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 Plan for Fire
Emergencies...

Read & understand the fire evacuation plan for your

area
Know the location of at least two (2) emergency exits
Know the location of fire alarm pull stations and fire
extinguishers
Take part in fire drills

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 Plan for Fire
Emergencies...

Have you ever stayed at a hotel and taken the time to look at
the evacuation plan posted on the inside of the room door?

Think about the following, you’re awakened at 3am from a

sound sleep to hear this loud whistling sound or horn blaring.
As you begin to wake up you smell smoke and suddenly you
are no longer sleepy.

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 Plan for Fire
Emergencies...
You run to the door, feel it for heat and open it. The
hallway is full of thick black smoke, and it invades
your room and your lungs, choking you. You fall to
the floor and start to crawl forward looking for the
exit signs. Only you can not see them and you do not
know where the stairs are. And you think to your self
....... your alarm rings and you wake up, it was only a
dream. But it could happen. Always be prepared,
know your role in the event of a facility fire and take
an active part.

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 In Case of Fire...
Remain calm. Don’t panic or cause confusion.
NEVER shout fire.
Proceed safely to nearest fire exit
Feel surfaces of doors before opening
Crawl to exit if smoke is present in area
Follow instructions of Fire Department
Remember R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S.

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 Classes of Fire

Ordinary Flammable Involving Combustible

Combustibles Liquids Electricity Metals

The most common fire extinguisher used in healthcare

is multiclass, or what is termed an ABC class
extinguisher. 10
 Fire Drills...
Conducted every quarter on every shift in Hospital
Respond immediately as if actual fire. Remember R.A.C.E.
and P.A.S.S.
All corridor fire doors are connected to fire alarm & detection
system and will close automatically once activated

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 Fire Drills...
Fire doors are designed to withstand fire,
heat and smoke for a period of 20-
minutes to 3 hours.
 Did you know that corridor doors are
fire doors and should have a 20 minute
rating?
 Corridor laboratory doors should have
a 60 minute rating.
 Fire Doors are required to:
 Be Self Closing: fire doors should have
a door closure that pulls doors
completely shut after the door has been
opened
 Have Positive latching: a positive latch
locks a door in place so can open swing
open freely.

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No Smoking
Policy...

Smoking by anyone, which

includes patients, visitors, medical
staff, associates, and visitors is
prohibited inside the buildings.

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 Electrical Faults Result in
Shock, Burns or Fire...
 This is the reasoning behind birds on high
voltage wires and why they do not fry.
Since the bird is only on the wire there is no
conduction between ground or other live
conductors. However, if I go to trim my
trees and touch the wires or place my ladder
on the wires, I have bridged the gap between
the live conductor and the ground. Current
flows from the line through my body and
gets discharged into the ground. That is a
big OUCH!

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 Causes Of Electric
Shock...
Current flow is the factor that causes injury in electric
shock; body resistance will determine the path of flow
Once the skin is broken, a victim will have sharply
reduced internal resistance to the flow of current.

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Overcurrent Devices...
Protect circuit from excessive heating by opening the
circuit automatically in event of excessive current flow
from accidental ground, short circuit, or overload.

Examples include fuses and circuit breakers etc…

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 Electrical Safety
Policy...
An equipment management plan exists to identify,
evaluate, inventory, and maintain medical equipment
to reduce the physical and health risks associated
with its usage
All biomedical and electrical equipment used in a
Hospital must be inspected and tested prior to use
and labeled with a safety sticker

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 Electrical Safety
Policy...

All electrical devices a patient may bring into the

hospital need to be inspected and tested prior to use
and labeled with a safety sticker prior to their use.

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 Electrical Safety
Rules...
Visually inspect all equipment for damage prior to
use
Do not use extension cords for permanent wiring
Unplug equipment by pulling on the plug and not
the cord
Damaged or defective biomedical/electrical
equipment must be removed from service and
reported to appropriate authority for repair

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Keep fluids, chemicals, and heat away from
equipment, cords, and cables
Maintain sufficient access around equipment &
panels for operations/maintenance
Do not touch energized/conductive surfaces with
one hand while touching the patient with the other
Know the function of each control prior to using
equipment

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Points to Remember
Just to recap,fire requires three elements. Heat source,
fuel and oxygen. When one is absent, there can be no
fire.
 It is important to take an active part in fire drills so
that you are aware of what your role is in the event of a
fire.
 Remember R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S.

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Electricity is a convenient source of energy but should
not be taken for granted.
It has a current that can be measured and if not respected
can kill.
The human body has the ability to conduct electricity
and serves as the conducting object when an individual
touches a live circuit.

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All patient electrical devices must be checked and
cleared by biomed prior to use in the facility, they will
have a tag attached when this has been completed.
 Most of electrical safety, and for that matter fire safety,
involves common sense and an ability to keep your eyes
open for hazards in the work place.

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